Amongst the Quiet
by Queen-of-the-Saps
Summary: Robin and Raven are now ‘official’. But after Raven meets someone else with similar circumstances as her, who will she choose?
1. Guarding the Forest

Summary - Robin and Raven are now (finally) 'official'. But after Raven meets someone else with similar circumstances as her, who will she choose?

Disclaimer: The Titans and other associated people/places I don't own. But if you haven't heard of them, I most likely own them.

PS: This takes place sometime after Season Four. And just pretend Season five doesn't exist! And also acknowledge I am terrible at fight scenes. XP

Amongst the Quiet

—Guarding the Forest—

ONE

Jump City: a beautiful metropolis protected by ocean, cradled by hills, and surrounded by forest. It is considered one of the best cities to live in (if you do not include the crime rate) and the citizens of Jump and neighboring areas took advantage of the almost constant agreeable weather and enjoyed beach days and picnics there. While most of the bordering nature of Jump were highly thought of, there was one place that was considered no man's land: the forest. Was it because its trees looked sickly and always seemed to be buried in fog? Or maybe because of the old legend that a scary, hideous, and evil guardian lived there? According to the legend, he would see every memory you had with just one look and warp them around. He would sometimes even steal them because he had none, himself. But that was just something young children told each other and used to dare other younglings to go in. Or was it?

—

The day had been a tense one in Titans' Tower. Two major bombings had happened in the past five days. Fifteen people had died, countless people were crippled for life, and even more were so badly injured, they were expected to pass on within the next few days. Needless to say, our dear Boy Wonder was stressing like crazy over his detective work. Who could have done this? Why would they do this? When would the next one happen? Could they prevent others' deaths? It was all his fault. He could have been there, _should _have been there, but was he? No. He was too late, _twice_! If only he could have been there earlier. . . All he needed were a few more clues and he could figure out who did this and he would make them pay for what they've done.

Raven, on the other hand, was finding it hard to concentrate on the police reports in front of her when all she could feel through her empathetic powers was Robin's self-blame and hatred for the culprit(s). It was so strong, she wondered how he could keep such strong emotions inside. She just hoped he would not break down one day. _Maybe one day he'll realize he can confide in us, too, and that he doesn't have to carry the world on his shoulders. _She looked back to the bombing reports and sighed for what seemed to be the thousandth time that day. They had confessed their love not even six months ago when Trigon was destroyed and had become 'official', but so many crimes had popped up, they could barely say "hello" nonetheless "I love you". And that also depressed Raven. What was the point of gaining emotion if you could not use them?

Beast Boy, over his crush on Raven, now that she was taken, had found a new passion: Starfire. Every minute of the day was devoted to her. To her every want, need, desire, and making sure that she was taken care of properly. He was out of touch with reality, thinking only of her. Starfire, not all _too _clueless about why Beast Boy was doing this, just shrugged her shoulders and let her (_now_) boyfriend work his magic. She didn't care if he was delusional and only was using her for a rebound, she just needed someone to show that they cared back since 'her Robin' was with someone else.

Cyborg, on the other hand, was not happy in the least. In fact, he was feeling quite lonesome. So much, that he had begun drifting into depression months ago and was nearing the deep end. Of course, he still fought with the rest of the team and tried to act his normal self when in the presence of his friends, but behind closed doors things were bad. He would remember the old days when he was "whole". He was a jock on the football team at school. Everyone knew him and he attracted many bimbo cheerleaders and good-looking preps. Things were going well for him, that is, until _the accident_. That was when his life fell apart; he could not finish school, he had to drop out of football, and leave behind his friends and those good-looking women. And now look at him! The tin man with no heart. He had no one. His friends no longer cared for him now that they had love interests. No one. . . except his Baby. The T-Car was all that he had left. He thought he needed to take a drive, clear his mind a bit. And so off he went, with no one noticing, to the garage and out into the world.

As said, today was _not _a good day. And to make matters worse, the alarm signaled a crime, making everyone jolt out of whatever their reverie was. Looking at the computer screen, Robin found that they had a moving target, heading for the east outskirts of the city. "Titans, go!" Robin said as they headed for the garage.

—

"Friend Robin! Where is Friend Cyborg?" Starfire asked as they discovered the T-Car gone. "Wherever he is, he'll receive the distress call." Starfire looked at him, not satisfied with his answer. "Listen, Star. We can worry about it later. The three of you can fly, so follow me." Robin straddled his R-Cycle and the four of them left.

So onward they went, never looking back, following the bleeping signal on the R-Cycle's radar. They found themselves at the edge of the city where the HIVE Academy students Jinx, Gizmo, and Mammoth were. The rendezvous point happened to be approximately fifty meters in front of the forest where the students were planning to make their getaway.

Robin had never been up here, no criminals and hardly any civilians came this far up, and was very surprised at what he saw. Everything was menacing looking to say the least. The forest was full of sickly trees, and it seemed that darkness dwelled there. It ate up all the surrounding light and produced a thick layer of dark fog around it. He had never seen anything such as this before, and that was saying a lot, because Robin had seen many things.

"What's the matter, birdbrain? Too scared of the big, bad trees?" Gizmo erupted with laughter as Robin glared at him in anger. Robin charged at Gizmo and swung his bo staff through him, literally. That Gizmo had proved to be a hologram. And once Robin had picked it up he saw it counting down, "4, 3, 2" Robin's eyes flashed in intensity as he threw it into the forest. He stiffened as it blew up, taking out some twenty large trees and who knows how many saplings. "Well, better the trees than the city." He muttered to himself as he saw, if not felt, the trees grow angry. "Whoa, seeing things. Must. Concentrate. On. Fighting." Once Robin finished whispering to himself, twelve Gizmo's popped up, surrounding him. "Oh, joy."

—

Starfire hovered about nine feet above the ground, hurling a spout of never-ending starbolts at the pink-haired sorceress, Jinx. But no matter how she threw them or what concoction Raven and she came up with, Jinx would blow them up with her hexes or elude them so they scarred the forest, instead of her. None of the girls worried or even noticed the forest. They were only focused on each other. So, with dark energy, starbolts, and hexes, their battle continued.

—

Beast Boy had the pleasure of taking on Mammoth all by himself, but he hardly minded. In fact, he didn't mind a bit. Mainly because he was, once again, delusional. He kept thinking about what to do with Starfire next. _Hmm. Go to the mall with her? Go get pizza, just the two of us? Go to— _Beast Boy never finished his thought. He got punched in the face with a sickening crunch as his nose broke. He got hit so hard he flew into the first line of trees. _What the—? Dude, that was major harsh! My . . . nose. It hurts like crap! _He reached up and hesitantly felt his nose. _Yup, bleeding. How wonderful. I have a broken nose. _"Could this day get any worse!"

The next thing Beast Boy heard was a cracking noise. Except, he didn't know where it was coming from. He was in the first line, so it wasn't in front of him. Was it . . . behind him?

As he slowly looked behind him, he saw a large darkness overshadowhim. "Oh, crap. I just had to ask." He morphed into a mouse and skittered away from the shadow, but Mammoth was faster than he was (as a mouse) and threw a large tree down at him with a mighty force. The next thing Beast Boy knew he was in human form and squashed under a large tree, crushing him. And also that Mammoth was roaring with laughter, but he didn't have the energy nor the breath to make a comment or ask what was so damn funny.

—

Jinx was gliding this way and that, dodging starbolts and dark energy. "What? Don't tell me _both _of you are afraid of a little bad luck!"

"It will be you who will have the luck of badness!" Screamed Starfire at Jinx. Just then, Starfire shot her eye beams at Jinx, who didn't dodge it in time. It propelled her onto the chest of a certain titan she had once crushed on. Cyborg was (finally) there.

"Now, who said you could start the party without me!" He overemphasized. Jinx backed away slowly as Cyborg lowered his sonic cannon at her. "Now who has some bad luck?" He shot it at her and she flew into the forest where Beast Boy and Mammoth already were.

—

"Come back here, you snot-nosed barf-bag!" But it was to no avail. Even with Gizmo's gadgets, he did not have the agility nor the adeptness of Robin. As it was, Gizmo had used most of his gadgets, even more of his power, and had far too many hits. Robin had turned the tables around, he had the advantage, now. But, of course, he _was _the Boy Wonder.

Robin currently had Gizmo cornered between him and the forest. _Robin or scary-looking forest_? Gizmo pondered, looking from in front at Robin to behind him at the trees. _Boy Wonder or haunted forest? Another beating by barf-brain or trees? Hmm, trees! _Desperately thought Gizmo as he ran away from the hands (and bo staff) of justice upon seeing that his comrades were nowhere to be seen and scurried into the darkening trees.

—

With Starfire at Beast Boy's side, Raven had Jinx on a one on one battle. Jinx was breathing heavily from being wounded, though she still put up a fight. Raven, eyeing her surroundings, whispered her chant "Azarath Metrion Zinthos."At least three large trees were hurled through the air at Jinx. Jinx panicked. She threw hexes at the trees, but they were still surrounded in black aura, protecting them until they reached their target. Jinx groaned on the mossy ground. "Uhhh. . ." She stood up with a hand to her head and charged at Raven.

—

Mammoth had been knocked out by Starfire's starbolts and was lying next to a recovering Beast Boy. Starfire was concerned for her boyfriend, he had barely moved and was breathing shallowly, even though Starfire had already removed the tree off of him with a flick of her wrist. She called to Cyborg who was coming with a medical kit from the T-Car. _I hope you will be alright. . ._

—

Gizmo had (somehow) managed to get over to where Jinx was fighting (and losing to) Raven. "I think . . . we should call our . . . _backup_." Gizmo was out of breath and could barely say those words above a whisper.

"I guess . . . we could." Jinx smiled in a twisted manner and started running as fast as she could muster deeper into the forest.

"What? Backup? Raven, come on, we have to stop them from calling backup and if—" Robin started dispatching out orders, but was cut off by Raven, "And if they do, we need to go stop them at all costs. I know, I know."

"How did you know I was going to say that?" Robin asked Raven.

"Robin, I helped found the Titans— with _you. _I have known you the longest out of all the Titans. And, besides, we have a bond, remember?"

"How could I forget?" Robin gave Raven a kooky grin.

"Robin, shut up. We need to go catch up before—"

Out of all the things they had prepared for, they had never imagined what they would see.

—

"Wh-what happened?" Beast Boy asked as he slowly opened his eyes.

"Glorious! You have recovered!" Starfire was the first to speak.

"Uh, Star?" Cyborg hastily broke into her thought.

"Yes, Cyborg?"

"He just has awoken, and is still uh, _damaged_. Better if you didn't squeeze him _quite _so tight." Cyborg urged her.

"Most apologies, my dearest one." Starfire said in her happy-go-lucky tone as she carefully laid Beast Boy down onto the forest floor.

—

"We . . . we need backup. We lured them here, as we . . . said we . . . would. Please give us . . . assistance . . . _Slade_." The last word sent chills down the backs of Robin and Raven. _Why is he back, _now?

Just as they finished their thought and shared a worried glance, a bomb blew up most of the moss-covered ground before them. The bomb had triggered a fire. It seemed to be burning everything, and through it came _Slade_. "Raven, get behind me!" Robin shouted and pushed her out of the way.

"Now, now. Don't be so pushy, Robin." Slade said in mock concern. This only angered Robin more, thus rushing him into a one-on-one battle with his arch-nemesis.

—

Cyborg had just finished bandaging his best buddy when he got a call on his communicator. He flipped it up on to see a worried Raven and was hearing grunts as he realized there was still some fighting going on. "Cyborg. The HIVE students need to be caught. Robin and I are busy at the moment. Cyborg; you take out Jinx. Starfire; you take out Mammoth. And let the short ones match it out."

Raven was about to shut her communicator when Cyborg called out to her, "No can do, Rae. BB is out for this battle. Unless you can pry yourself off from your battle to heal him. Wait! Who are you fighting if you want us to take care of HIVE?"

"Let's just say they had someone we didn't expect to see as backup. _Ever_." She let the words sink in as slipped into the darkness, hating to leave behind a struggling Robin.

—

Cyborg's eyes widened as he realized who Robin was fighting. It all made sense. The HIVE was just a distraction for Slade to get what he wanted. He didn't care if innocent people got hurt and even died as a result of his "mastermind plans".

Raven arrived only a few moments later, ready to heal a fallen Beast Boy. "You two; take out Jinx and Gizmo. I'll have Beast Boy mended in a few moments, but it might take a little longer for him to fully recover." The two were hesitant, but after seeing Raven using her powers and the color returning to Beast Boy's face, they went out to kick some HIVE butt.

—

Robin back flipped barely out of the way of Slade's bo-staff. Robin managed to counter with a roundhouse kick. But just as it was about to connect, Slade brought the bo-staff to Robin's torso and swiped him to the ground. Robin quickly got back up and brought out his very battered bo-staff and off they were again. There were no meaningless dialogue, no quips. This was past the point of dialogue. It was where only the sweat and blows spoke.

As much as Robin wanted to say he was slowly prevailing, he was not. He was struggling against Slade. Every punch he managed to pull, three more came his way. For every kick, every swing of his bo-staff, he received almost more than he could handle. As much as he didn't want to admit it, little by little, he was losing.

Slade and Robin fought more and more until they were into the forest quite a bit. They were so caught up on fighting each other, they failed to notice that each step farther they went into this forest, the more it opened up and brightened. They also did not notice the boy who was watching their every movement.

—

Beast Boy was now up, thanks to Raven, and battling Gizmo with the help of Starfire. Cyborg, though, was getting his butt whooped against Jinx. And as much as Raven wanted to help Cyborg, she couldn't waste any time. _Robin. . ._ Quickly she thrust a random tree into Jinx's side and seemingly disappeared into the air, finding her way to where her Robin and his obsession were fighting.

—

Things had not improved in the short time Raven was gone. In fact, it had only gotten worse. Much worse. Robin was barely holding it together. He was tired from fighting the HIVE, and his adrenaline was running thin. Slade, on the other hand, was reveling in Robin's near defeat.

Raven gathered the energy from within and with the words "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos" she gathered trees from left and right and, pushing aside Robin, hit Slade with tree after tree. After the first brutal tree attacks, Slade had gotten out bombs and was generously dispersing them. The trees were getting blown to bits. The three were totally consumed with each other, and even Raven didn't notice when the boy's face hardened in hatred.

Slade went after Robin again, entirely forgetting Raven, as if she was never there in the first place. Raven could not stand the thought of Robin getting hurt anymore because of Slade, so she muttered her mantra, "Azarath, Metr—". She was cut off by someone's hand covering her mouth and tightly.

"That is enough, girl." And _that _is when she discovered the boy's presence.

—

The fight was over. The HIVE was done, at last, yet no one was celebrating. Cyborg had told his fellow teammates who Robin was currently facing. They were at a loss of what to do. Should they risk going to look through the forest for where Robin and Slade were fighting, or should they stay and look after the HIVE to make sure they stay under control and preferably unconscious?

"Please! Friend Robin may be dying and injured and hurting! Must we not accompany him and make sure we terminate the villainous Slade?" Cyborg and Beast Boy looked at Starfire as she mentioned some very strong points.

"I don't think he is dying, Star. Remember that Raven is with him. She won't let anything serious happen to Robin. She loves him too much."

"But what if Friend Raven is injured? Or even the un of conscious!"

"You fear too much, babe. I am sure they can take care of Slade until he makes his usual getaway. You need to believe." Beast Boy walked over and reached up to put his hand on Star's shoulder. (A/N: since she is so much taller than him)

"Beast Boy is right, Star. We need to believe in their ability to work together as a team, rather than think of every horrible circumstance that can possibly happen." Cyborg stood for a moment, thinking. "Yet, a little bit of worry can be good. I vote we go find them."

"But, Cy! What about the three bees!" (A/N: He means Jinx, Mammoth, and Gizmo. Three bees from the HIVE.)

"Don't worry, BB. I got a little something I can give the three of them to make them sleepy for even longer."

—

A boy came out of the darkness and into the light holding Raven captive. He appeared to be about fourteen, not too much younger than Beast Boy, with chestnut brown hair in a ponytail to his lower back, and the most gorgeous deep blue eyes Robin had ever seen. The boy wore a simple forest green muscle shirt and khaki-colored pants. The way he moved, though, with such fluidity and grace in every step, every breath, was awe-inspiring. Even though the way he moved and his beautiful face should seem to fit a woman more than a boy, it suited him perfectly.

The boy, still holding onto Raven's mouth tight as ever, walked closer to where both Slade and Robin could see them. The fight between Robin and Slade stopped as they both saw the twosome at the same time. They could see Raven's eyes fluttering as her oxygen supply was getting cut off.

A moment later Raven _did _pass out.

Robin quickly ran to catch her as she went limp. "What did you do to Raven! What do you want with her?"

"I simply cut off her air supply. Don't worry, she should regain consciousness, soon. It is not _her _I want per se." The boy pointed his finger directly at Slade. "You! You are what I want the most. You have desecrated this beauteous land! With your fire, bombs, and other weapons you have destroyed this forest and its inhabitants! And for that, I will make you pay for your misdeeds." The boy spoke with a force and determination that did not match his innocent face as he narrowed his eyes.

"And how will you do that, boy? You have no weapon." The ever confident Slade spoke as if this boy posed no threat at all. How deeply would he be mistaken.

"No weapons, eh? You simply do not understand that you could not have picked a worse place for you to fight me. You are on _my _turf, and where _my _rules are law."

Slade narrowed his eye behind his mask. This pretty boy couldn't be all that he said he is.

The boy smiled as he reached his right hand out of his side. His eyes glowed a shade of green as a long, staff-size piece of a wood that looked like bamboo grew up from the ground right where his hand was. "You will regret this. I will make sure of it."

Slade could not take the sickeningly confidence this _boy _had, nor the aura of absolute power he held. His was so much more than Robin's aura. This boy obviously knew he had power and how to back up any threats. Slade could see it all in his sweet, innocent face; mainly his eyes.

With a roar of rage, Slade spun around and rammed his bo-staff into the boy's head. Or, at least he tried. The boy merely stepped to the side and slammed his bamboo stick firmly onto Slade's knuckles. Even Robin heard the sickening crack from where he was trying to resuscitate Raven.

Slade's bo-staff fell from his hands as he fell to his knees. He was breathing heavy from the pain. Most of his fingers were broken at odd angles and some bones were even shattered into tiny fragments. He might not even hold a bo-staff again. He may not even hold a fork again for that matter, considering his injuries. Who _was _this boy?

"I am far from done with you, villain. You will either have a new respect for the forest, or die learning that lesson. _I will make sure of it_." The boy said.

"I am not dead, yet, _boy_." Slade tried to intimidate the 'boy'.

"Good to hear." He smiled sinlessly, again, obviously not intimidated in the least.

This time the boy moved first. He ran forward with such fluidity Slade almost forgot to stop staring and fight. The boy held his bamboo staff in the air and as he brought it down Slade kicked it in the middle, snapping it in half.

The boy seemed not surprised. He merely held the two halves at his side as they grew to two identical full-length staffs. "You'll have to do better than that." The boy said sweetly as he raised the two staffs to a fighting position. "_Much _better."

—

"Wha- what's happening?" Mumbled a confused Raven. "Who— who is that? Where am I?"

"Rae, I'm so glad you finally came to. You had me worried for a bit." Robin smiled at her and she relaxed a bit. They heard some footsteps and looked behind them to see their three other teammates frozen in shock.

"Who is _that_?" Cyborg, Starfire, and Beast Boy said in unison.

"Here's the short version of a long story, guys. He came out of nowhere, knocked Raven out, grew a bamboo staff out of the ground, broke Slade's fingers in one move, and is currently fighting him, still. I don't know who he is, but he is good." Robin summed up the past half hour to his comrades.

"He might be fighting Slade, but will he come after us, next? We don't know anything about this guy. He might not be a good guy. . ." Cyborg said as he examined Robin's numerous wounds.

"I guess we'll just have to find out when he's done beating up Slade." Raven said quietly. "_We definitely aren't going to beat him, either_." She whispered the latter to herself even though Robin heard and, honestly, agreed.

—

The boy closed his eyes as his face went from somewhat serious to content and peaceful. Slade scrutinized this boy's facial expression and wondered what was up his sleeve. (A/N: Ha! He is wearing a muscle shirt, thus he has NO sleeves.) The boy opened his eyes as his hair began wavering in what the Titans believed to be wind. They didn't know that it was the intensity of his own power building up that producing the "breeze". His eyes glowed the same green as before and the "breeze" became waves of power tumbling towards Slade. With it came vines, saplings, and other plants that joined the boy's cause to rid the forest of this evil villain.

Before Slade could move, the saplings wrapped around his limbs and torso, pinning him down. The vines, however, cluttered together into one enormous "vine". With Slade pinned down, it plunged into Slade's abdomen. Even more saplings tightened around vital points so he died quickly and did not have to suffer. . . _too _much.

Time seemed to stop for an eternity, and maybe it did.

Slade, the ultimate evil human, was dead. Dead. The word seemed so foreign when relating to Slade himself. Was the evil over? Did Robin no longer have to suffer under his arch-nemesis's influence? Did innocent people no longer have to die for senseless causes? It took a while to process for the Titans, but then Raven spoke. "What are you going to do with the body?"

"Slade Wilson is one of the worst human beings I have ever met. He had so much. . . A wife. A family. A great fortune. The ideal dream of any normal human. But he abused it all. He used the fortune to build Slade-bots. He killed his wife. (A/N: I don't know if he really did or not. I need to look into that.) And tried to train his children to fight with them, but, in the end, he lost them, too. He is not worthy of a grave. It is better if he simply disappears."

At that the boy held his hand by Slade's corpse. Slowly at first, the body aged. Then the suit withered until it was nothing and all that was left were bones. And even those became dust. He became literally nothing.

"What are you doing in my forest with weapons?" The boy asked devoid of feeling.

"We were called to help. . ." Cyborg answered, cautiously.

"The trees do not like weapons." The boy was still looking at the place where Slade's corpse once was and where nature still stood.

"But we are the good guys!" Beast Boy tried to defend themselves.

"Good is a matter of viewpoint." The boy told them.

"And what is _your _viewpoint?" Robin narrowed his eyes as he tried to figure out this boy as you would a jigsaw puzzle.

"I am with the trees, I do not like people who hurt them, because in that it hurts me. I do not like weapons, and I do not like to fight. Though I will when needed." The boy's once innocent looking face turned to determination, yet was still dazzling.

"We didn't need your help." Raven pretended behind her bored gaze.

"_You _may have not, but my trees _did_. You were _using _them, _hurling _them at your opponent. And you did not think to consider their feelings. Imagine these trees as people, for they are. Just not human. Imagine using people and hurling _them _going through the air, so you can defeat your opponent. Next time you hurl something alive, throw yourself." The boy said.

"Hey! That was uncalled for. All Raven was doing was helping." Robin defended Raven.

"It's not _my _fault your girlfriend doesn't use her demon powers properly!" The boy defended himself.

"How— how do you know that?" Raven asked, astonished.

"I know about your prophecy little girl, about your father, about Azarath, about your relationship with Robin, I know _everything_."

"That doesn't answer my question!" Raven seethed at him. _How could he know everything?_

The boy sighed. "Because, in a nutshell, I have something that can be considered as a curse. I see all of a person's memories just by making eye contact with them. One glance and then, it all comes to me. In a matter of seconds, I see a whole person's life. I know all about all of your tragedies. Sakutia, lab accident, death, etc. But all of you have a duty, a duty to your city, your fellow man, but mainly to yourselves. You don't want what happened to you to be felt by anyone else. Raven?" The boy looked at Raven.

"Yes?" Raven asked monotonously.

"I am sorry for yelling at you, I just don't like to see my trees getting hurt." The boy tried to straighten things out, but Raven would not have any of it. "Why are _you _apologizing?"

The boy chuckled for a moment and turned back to his innocent-looking face that you could hardly be angry at. "I'll take that as you don't like me. But I have a half-brother, one that I am nothing really alike. He is very similar to you. Dark. Mature. A strong pillar to support the people around him. He is quite inspirational, really. You would like him. I'll tell him you'll meet him for tea tomorrow afternoon down on Harbor Boulevard, 2:15."

"Why do I have to do this?" Raven asked in general.

"You _don't_." Robin told her.

"All I am saying is that you both have incredibly similar circumstances, believe me."

"Why should we? He could be evil!" After seeing everyone else in debate, Beast Boy stuck his piece in.

"Evil is a matter of viewpoint. Sometimes the dark is mistaken for evil, but really it is just untouched, unknown, forbidden. You'll never know unless you try. I never thought you, Raven, would be scared of a little chat over tea." The boy retorted.

"Ugh, how do I know he will even accept and where?" Raven agreed, knowing she had lost the debate.

"He already told me he would—" The boy was cut off by an anxious Raven. "Wait! How does he know, and did you just contact him with your mind?"

"When will you stop asking so many questions, if I knew it was going to be so much of a hassle, I wouldn't have brought Chris up! To be quite frank, I have three main elements I can control. As you saw, I can use the power of the trees, I have the power to use memories, and thirdly, I have the ability to use time."

"But those three aren't any of the elements." Starfire gathered up her bravery and spoke hesitantly.

"That would be because humans are limited when they look at a big picture. Why do you think you _need _to be super heroes? Mankind has brought nothing but pain and suffering to the world as they try to shape it as they see fit. That is why I seclude myself to the things that understand me; the trees. They are beautiful, majestic, graceful. Everything a human isn't. Look at them, they sway in unison, yet each one is different than the other. Each one unique. The blend together to make a true masterpiece." The boy turned from the Titans to the nature around them and he smiled.

"So you _live _with _trees_?" Beast Boy was being weirded out by the smooth, graceful actions of this boy along with everything he said..

"Not just trees," the boy responded, "I live as one with every being in this forest. It is one of the few unharmed forests in this world."

"So you use the power of the trees to make it look spooky and congested on the outside while it is light and expanded on the inside." Robin finally figured out this 'boy' and this forest. He smiled broadly at his accomplishment.

"Yes," the boy nodded his head, "I do what I must to save my trees. I am sorry, I must go take care of those fiends who started this, before they wake up." The boy was about to walk off but was stopped by Starfire. "What will you do with the students of HIVE?"

"Oh, I thought I might have a little fun with their memories, show them that they do mess with me and get away with it." Once more he tried to leave, but was stopped by Raven this time. "Tell me on thing before I must go."

"They call me Sean. Or at least that is what my foster parents called me this turn around. Now go. They are getting restless and nervous." This time he did leave. He, Sean, walked through the lighted pathway and disappeared in the shadows of the canopy.

As they left, the Teen Titans didn't have to worry about losing their way through the trees. They didn't have to worry about this forest at all, anymore. And as for the boy, Sean, he would come and prove to be their ally a few times more.

—Fin—

A/N: I hoped you like it! That was the first chapter of MANY to come. I have some chapters done here and there, so I know what I want done. I just have to write the rest. 'Til next time!

Signed,

Her Sappiness :)


	2. Thinking

Disclaimer: I do not own the Titans, but I do own the "thinking" person.

Amongst The Quiet

—Thinking—

TWO

I always thought of myself as a respectable person. Always trying to do the right thing, say the right words, behave the right way. But no matter what I did, they looked down at me, if they even looked at all. I was never looked to as a savior, though I sometimes wish I was. But could I, the lowest life form in the universe (next to my Father), be a _hero_? Even if it were a small thing, to be seen as a good person in someone's eyes, I would do almost anything for it.

But when it all comes down to it, people, no, all creatures, yearn for what they do not have. I do not have kindness, nor gentleness. Do I yearn for it? Of course I do, I wish for it more than anything else. But will I get it? Only Kronos holds the answer for that one. Beings strive after what they want, what they think they need, like a famished dog will muster up the energy out of an energy-deficient body, just to see if that _really _was food walking by.

I had always believed that there was something that separated humans and animals, my mother was definitely the instigator of that one, but when it comes down to it, I am just the same as they are; animalistic. Where did the heroism go? Where did the urge to do what is acceptable go? Or was it there to begin with? Was it just my imagination, or did I once have a conscience? And _where _in Titania did that go?

Maybe the people who were once around me were right, the people who perished long ago. Maybe I am a piece of trash. Filth. So distorted, that there is nothing left to redeem in me. Never was. And never will be. I will be like Him. My Father. Whether I want to be or not. Sometimes, I can feel His presence through my blood, not too strong, but still there. Does He hide in a human shell around me? No, He would never resort to that. Humans are not and can not be compared to insects, they are less to Him. Everything is lesser to Him. But . . . am I?

What am I to Him? Should I care? Do I want to be? Why is it that the answers you want to know so desperately are on the highest bookshelf that you cannot reach? Does life do that on purpose, and sits back leisurely and watches for the fun of it? I stand here and sigh, watching all the people in Jump City walk past me, not even sparing a glance. Which is by all means alright with me, because _I _am not worth it. Not worth their time, nor their energy. Nor am I worth their spit. For I am worth nothing.

If only I could have been like my mother. She would have been glad to see me like her. Beautiful, graceful, loving, kind towards all, perhaps too kind? She was always so majestic, but then we are talking about my mother.

What about my stepfather? He had also been very kind and gentle. Loved my mother so much, he accepted me into his family. They were so in love, it nauseates me, yet provides me with a feeling of disappointment and guilt. The people who raised me my first fifteen years, my 'parents', they loved, and were loved back. _That _is what astounds me so much. To be loved _back_. Even if they were only alive a short part of my entire life so far, they loved and sheltered me. They were good and caring.

They were good people . . . good. What is it like to be _good_? To be kind to others? To have others return the favor? What would it be like to have friends? People who do return favors, buy you gifts for anniversaries, and who don't tally each time you make a hint of a mistake or how many times you need assistance. That _is _what a friend is, right? But how would I know? I am just a fiend, a monster, a — I don't want to say it. I shall not say it. Because it has been voiced too many times already.

I hate people. They have a good side, and a bad side, yet both are used. It depends on the situation, the person — or _thing _— and the reaction of peers as to how they will behave. But no matter what the situation was, the reaction to me is all the same. I would mock them, but my mother, my poor mother, even she would be ashamed to admit that I was her son. Is that the only reason? Is that the logic for not doing unspeakable or cruel things? For someone else's benefit? Am I trying to be good for my mother? Any person would admit that sounds wimpy and pathetic. For a grown pers— _thing _to be acting according to what their deceased mother would think.

But you can mock me all you want. For I am no part of this world. Nor do I wish to be. Maybe because it is cruel to me, maybe because it is cruel to others, or maybe . . . because . . . they can feel and act freely. With no regrets, no thinking and reveling about it, no consequences, no being a key factor in taking over the world! Yeah. In a way I do envy them, but envy never did anyone or _thing _any good. And, in a way, I do hate them. I hate them with a great passion.

But who asked me? I am but a 'thing'. I am a conniving fool, an idiotic phony, a brainless moron, an unintelligent being. I know why you want to hate me. Oh, I know. You, _you _do not know any better. For you are beneath me.

In the end, that is what dominates, my Father's thinking. And now? _Now_, after evaluating myself, I see I am anything _but _respectable.

—

It saddens me, but I walk on.

Walking, walking, walking. Always moving forward.

And never looking back. What am I so afraid of? When the humans brought rebirth to 'their' world, they thought it would bring them happiness and security, be nothing like the old one. Well, it is nothing like the old one. Number one; humans with their imperfect brains ruled causing chaos. Two; scum came about and started corrupting their new-found 'life'. Three; there is illness of body and mind that plagues their bodies. Four; they ignore what was once their conscience. Five; they are fragile in both mind and heart. About to break at any moment. Six; they are . . . mortal. They age so quickly, one day an infant, the next day aged and next-to-dead. Seven; need I go on?

'Humans are weak, but they hold more emotion than we could ever imagine.' My mother told me that, once. I was but a child, almost four years old. I remember that day very clearly. She was explaining the difference between myself and humans. I cannot hold emotion, not much anyway. I do not have to hold back. It is just, it does not and can not come. Simple, it is impossible.

Do I miss it? Well, how could you miss something you never had? I once tried to imagine myself with emotion, think about what I would say, how I would act, how others would react. Even though my mother nurtured my imagination, which I sometimes hate her for — wait. What was that? Hate. That is an emotion. That comes from my paternal side. It must have. Had my mother ever hated? Of course she had. She understood my predicament. She had an evil father, as well.

My grandfather, I do not miss him. Not one bit. He killed most of my mother's family, my family. He ended up . . . no. I don't have to think about it. I don't want to voice it. The ultimate pain to have witnessed. I was there to witness, that is what my grandfather said. He put me in a trance to . . . in order that he . . . so my mother would . . . _say it! Why don't you just admit it. The one person who ever cared about you is _. . . dead. She's dead. As simple as that. Her father killed her, and I was there to witness. _Just the way you will be one day when your Father is done with you._

I am sad. There, another emotion I can feel. I grieve not because my life will come to an end, each day bringing my demise closer, but for the fact that in exchange for my life, many others will die. Of course, not because they want to die for something like me, but because they don't have a choice in the matter. Nor do I. I would have died a long time ago. Especially if it meant sparing others' lives.

Was that . . . was I . . . did I just admit I would sacrifice myself for others? Others who have done nothing but ridicule me, others who were so much better, yet beneath me? Others who deserve, others _deserve _to live. No matter if they do good in their life or not. They deserve a chance to prove themselves. To do good for others; even if it is just taking out the garbage for their elderly parents before they are reminded. Or even if they do bad. Bad as in sneaking out of the house, or not obeying. But, if there was no bad, how would the good stand out?

That is one human view I had never even thought of before. How was good established from bad in Titania? No one proved who was good and who was bad. They didn't need to. Everyone was the same, everyone that is, besides me. _I_ was different,_ I_ was bad, _I _was wrong, because _I_ was not pure. Even when I tried to do everything perfectly, they all pointed accusing fingers, they said as in truth that _I _was scheming. _I _was leading a double life. And that _I _was not actually alive.

How ironic. For now they haunt my mind, those who are long gone. I, who should no be allowed to live, I outlived them all. Pride. Another emotion. One that I choose not to use. Then I get to thinking, if I had not been there, who would they have tormented? What poor helpless soul would they have hurt immensely? Or would they have done nothing? Another matter which is better not thought of, it brings back so many memories. _And so much pain_.

Pain. Pain? I feel pain? Who would've thought that I, the unfeeling _thing _would actually be harboring pain? No one. Because no one thinks nearly as much as I do. In other words, I need sleep. So hopefully it will come and claim me before I go anymore insane than I truly am (or have yet to discover).

—Fin—

A/N: There will be chapters like these not every other chapter, but I plan on having them often. Mainly because I want you to understand the inner workings of this character since we already know the Titans. (I hope it wasn't too boring.)

Signed,

Her Sappiness


	3. Harbor Boulevard

Disclaimer: I would like to announce that I do— "SHHHH! It's starting!" —_not_— "I said, SHHH!" —own the— "SHUT UP! My goodness, some people can be so rude!"

Amongst the Quiet

—Harbor Boulevard—

THREE

Today was it. The day Raven would meet with this mystery man. She had no clue what would happen, what he was like, and strongly regretted turning down Star's offer of coming with her.

Raven looked at the clock; 1:58 PM. And she was supposed to meet with this guy at 2:15. What was his name again? She couldn't remember. Hopefully he would have the courtesy of introducing himself. Otherwise she would walk right out and fly away. Or, at least, that is what she told herself. She didn't want to admit that deep down, she was curious about this new guy.

Alike? What did Sean mean by saying that they were similar? Raven was confused along with being curious. A combination that rarely went together and ended with a good result. Raven pushed all the negative thinking aside, though. She was going to do this. Something inside told her that if she didn't, she would regret for the rest of her life. Of course, she could not understand the words being told to her, but she could feel the importance of this meeting. _What is going to happen?_

Raven finally stopped thinking and finished getting ready for her 'outing'. She straightened out her pitch-black tank top (that had a low V-neck) and got out her arm-warmers that were black and the laces were the same violet as her eyes and the bandana she wore on her head. She looked in her vanity mirror from a distance at her black capri pants that showed off her leather ankle boots with the same violet laces.

She walked up to her vanity for some last minute touches so no one in public would notice her. Raven ran her black eyeliner over the rim of her eyelashes and to the sides, creating a catlike effect. As she finished tracing under her eyes with the eyeliner, she got out her dark purple lipstick with her berry-scented lip gloss and applied.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

Raven Sighed. "Come in." She replied to the door in her monotone voice. The door swished open to reveal none other than the Boy Wonder, himself. "You _do _know you do NOT have to do this, right?"

"Not again, Robin." Raven sighed once again, wondering how to put this. "You tried to dissuade me for over an _hour_ when we got back from the forest." Robin's face dropped considerably by the slight trace of emotion in her voice. "I don't go back from my word. Not when I can help it. END OF DISCUSSION."

It was Robin's turn to sigh. "I can at least give you a ride there."

Raven showed her rare, sincere smile, the one that she did only when she was alone with Robin. "You do know where this Harbor Boulevard Café is, don't you?"

—

It was 2:18. Damn, she was late, what a first impression. She should've flown and not gone on that crazy motorcycle ride. " 'Oh, don't worry, I know _exactly _where it is.' That's what they all say!" Raven muttered unhappily as she walked in through the glass door. She looked around. Oh, yeah. She didn't remember who she was meeting, what his name was, what he looked like, or if he knew what she looked like. That's one minor detail that "Sean" guy forgot to mention.

She scanned the room once more, and no one noticed her. It wasn't a gothic café, yet no one seemed to mind her attire. She was actually partially hoping to creep this guy out. Then she saw a hand casually wave at her, urging her to come on. He was sitting with two girls and another guy. _Great, I have to chaperone a double date. Could it get any worse? _Raven thought

_It isn't a date. _Raven almost jumped out of her skin when she heard those words in the back of her head._ We're all just friends. Now, please sit with us. _The man waved again, and this time, Raven complied.

As she got closer to one of the back booths she got to see the four of them up close. One girl on the aisle had flaming red hair, but not like Starfire's. It was wavy and to her collarbone, also it was a more red shade than Star's. She was wearing a white mini-skirt, a white spaghetti-strap shirt with a sheer white jacket, and white high-heeled faux leather boots that went up to her knees. She looked like a preppy airhead to Raven until she looked into her blue eyes and saw wisdom and a glint of a hidden smile saying I-know-something-you-don't-know even though she looked the youngest.

Next to her on the inside of the booth was a man of about two years senior to the fiery red-head, about eighteen. He had straight golden hair that slipped into his eyes and ended at his chin. He looked lean but muscular, _quite like Robin_, Raven thought with a hint of a smile. He was wearing a light blue tee that matched his eyes and had tan cargo shorts that stopped at about his knees. He had a friendly face and a beautiful smile she also picked up.

Straight across from the redheaded girl was the other girl who looked in age between the boy and the girl in front of her. She looked like she was more of Raven's kind; Gothic. She had long black hair flowing to the middle of her back on top of pale skin. Her eyes were of a special color that you'd only see once in your life if you were lucky. They were electric lime green, piercing and a little taste of what was underneath. Her outfit was something Raven envied. She wore a tight black corset with laces the same color as her eyes. Underneath the corset was a fishnet shirt that looked more like black cobwebs than anything else. Her pants were black, as well, with small pinstripes. It had a few buckles here and there, though not overdone, and had velvet laces intertwining on the outer side of her thighs. You could see the tips of her boots peaking out from under the pants. Everything she wore suited her well. Not just her physical appearance, but Raven knew that it fitted the edge inside of all the tranquility.

Sitting next to the Gothic girl was another man; the man whom had waved her over and spoke in her mind. He looked the eldest of the group, but only a year or so more than the other boy. He was possibly nineteen, and drop-dead gorgeous. He had long, slick, darker than black hair that traveled to about the bottom of his rib cage and fair skin. He had a soft but masculine face that shone experience, yet was fairly young-looking in appearance. His eyes were a deep blue, like the darkened sea after a deadly storm. His apparel was the simplest of the four, and he appeared to be the most relaxed. He wore a plain white tee under a comfortable black leather coat that hung down to his knees accompanied with dark blue jeans.

"Who is this?" The Gothic girl looked Raven over in a disapproving manner.

"Her name is Raven; Raven Roth." The dark man answered for Raven. While Raven would have been enraged that someone was speaking for her like she was incapable of doing so, she wasn't. There was a strange manner of calmness in her body and she didn't know why. But she gladly welcomed it.

"And?" The Gothic girl dragged the simple word in impatience.

"And she is my guest for afternoon tea." The dark man told the girl next to him.

"Since when did _you _become a social butterfly?" The dark man smiled at this comment but said nothing. "Are you going to ignore me?" The Gothic girl stood up.

"I am not ignoring you, Tina. You know I could never do that. Not to you." The dark man said to the girl, Tina.

_Great, I am in the middle of a soap opera. _Raven thought as she mentally rolled her eyes standing awkwardly before the table of four, literally the fifth wheel.

"Why is it that you want to have any dealings with a short, puny, super-righteous, anti-social, wannabe Goth when you have _us_? Think about it. It isn't logical!" Tina knew she was losing the one-sided argument, and fast. "But we're your friends!"

The dark one nodded but said no words.

"But she's creepy!"

"Like me?"

"Ye—" she looked down and sighed, "You know I didn't mean that."

"I know. But really, Tina. If you do not like Raven so much, why don't you leave? Raven has been invited, you simply tagged along." The dark man said it not in an unkind way, but said it logically. At least, that is how he wanted Tina to see it.

Tina looked shocked. How could he say that to her? Her face contorted and she grabbed the fiery redhead by the arm. "C'mon, Stephanie. Let's go." As Tina dragged Stephanie out the door, the girl in white signaled for help. "Go ahead, Mark. Stephanie needs you more than I do." The dark man said. Mark nodded appreciatively "Thanks, man," and then hightailed it out of the Harbor Boulevard Café.

"Wow. A lot just happened there. . . Well, sit down, please." The dark man locked eyes with her. Amethyst met a stormy blue. Raven was paralyzed from only one look into the door of his soul. _So much unfelt emotion. . . and so much pain._ When the dark man stuck his hand out, Raven came out from her reverie. "Chris Yoru. It's nice to meet you, Raven, and I am sorry you had to be witness to that. Tina isn't like that all the time. Hardly at all, really. She is the tranquil one out of the group. Coolheaded, but she has an edge and can be fierce. She believes in what she believes and nothing can change that."

"What does she believe in?"

"She believes that she and I are the only people in the world that can understand each other. Silas has reason to say otherwise and she is jealous because of that. I don't know if you believe in first impressions or not, but Tina is not like that. She's a sweet girl, truly she is." Chris explained.

"Who is Silas?" Raven asked.

"Oh, he didn't tell you his name was Silas?" Raven shook her head. "He must have told you that his name is Sean, am I correct?" Raven nodded as she connected Sean with Silas. "Sean isn't his real name, it is his human name that his foster parents gave him."

"What do you mean, '_human_ name'?" Raven was an intelligent girl, but she was becoming confused by the explanations which only brought about more questions.

"Well, all in all, Silas isn't a complete human. He is only a little less than a quarter. Thus he has powers and he is as old as he is."

"What do you mean by that, I thought him to be only fourteen or so." Yet more confusion.

"Time never ages." Raven just looked at him, confusion written all over her face. "Or at least, not when it doesn't want to."

"Why are you speaking in riddles!" She did her best not to straight-out yell at him, poorly succeeding. "It's almost as bad as Beast Boy's jokes!"

"Since you seem so inquisitive this afternoon, ask away and I'll do my best to answer you in a non-riddling manner." As he talked in his deep voice, she felt herself soothe into a very relaxed state.

She exhaled and all the tension left her body completely. "Fine. Why _exactly _did this 'Silas' guy ask us to meet?"

"Silas asked us to meet because we have a lot in common.".

"And that would be. . .?" Chris exhaled and closed his eyes as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. Raven impatiently sat there, waiting for an answer from the enigma in front of her when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. She turned to her left to look at the inside of the booth. She was shocked to say the least at what she witnessed. The salt and pepper shakers were switching places as the sugar packets one by one lined up perfectly inside the holder. All of the moving objects were outlined in black. "H— how did you do that?"

"The same way you do." He simply said as he looked her in the eye. "Did you really think you were the only half-breed who managed to survive?"

Raven blinked several times before answering his question. "Yes. . . I did. So. . . you really are a. . .?"

Chris still had his eyes locked with hers. "Are you?"

Raven felt the tranquility flood over her once again. She closed her eyes for a moment and thought about what Silas said back in the forest. '_He is very similar to you. Dark. Mature. A strong pillar to support the people around you. He is quite inspirational, really.' _"What other powers do you have?" She opened her eyes with new determination._ What makes him an inspiration? I want to know everything. _

Chris chuckled. "It was only a matter of time before you asked that." He smiled and went on. "Well, I have the powers of the Dark. They are similar to yours, but not so limited. Some examples are that I can move things with my mind, as you saw. The Dark is very acute in sense, giving me the ability to read a person's feelings and their mind. I can even talk into the minds of others, as you know, already. I can also control people's emotions and can make them think certain things. I have the ability to control the Dark during the night, I can even make it appear to be night and other various things that have to do with the Dark. The only down part is that I don't have as much control as I have potential. Quite like you." He shrugged as he told her as if they were discussing their day at high school or some nonchalant matter instead of the curse of being demon spawn.

Raven took a moment to think about what to say next."Well, I know you have powers, but why don't you use them?"

He smiled. "What makes you think I don't?"

"I meant for good." Chris had a what-do-you-think-I-am look on his face. "You know. . . for justice. To right the wrong evildoers cause. To help out the innocent."

Chris raised his eyebrow. "You mean, become a superhero like you?" Raven nodded her head. "I use my powers when I have to, but more in the background than your average superhero. I don't believe that getting glory and having everyone's — especially an entire city's — attention is good for you. Sure, you feel appreciated, but that's the problem. Soon you want more than what you had before and you lose your love for justice. All you care about is more attention. The more you crave, the emptier you feel. You'll become addicted and never be satisfied with your old life. I've seen it happen to people with materialism. I'm sure it could happen to people in other areas, as well."

Raven looked down at her hands in her lap. He did make a good point. She looked up again at his handsome face. "Do you think superheroes are conceited?"

"No. Not all of them. I don't believe you are, anyway." Chris looked deep into her eyes and Raven fought against blushing. _Me blush? I must have gotten more emotion than I thought I had. . . _

—Fin—

A/N: Sorry to cut off the scene so shortly, but I cannot seem to write anymore. Nothing is coming to me! I am sorry, truly I am. At least this chapter shows you a little into the character of Chris and his friends. Review! Her Sappiness commands it! Seriously, I wanna know what you think and what I could have done better. I'll probably end up redoing this chapter, or at least adding some more. Well, 'til next chapter!

Signed,

Her Sappiness


	4. Feeling?

Disclaimer: I do not own the Titans! Now, get back lawyers! Back, I say!

Amongst the Quiet

—Feeling?—

FOUR

Laughter: Anger: Worry: Love: Friendship: Competition: Growth: Degeneration.

All these emotions are packed within the realms of a person's mind

Out of all the long years of my life I have never, _never_ found a solution for my problem, my weakness. I have never really _felt _anything. Ever. This world, these people, those things. They all pass by me in a blur. I would go to school, listen to teachers (who think they actually know a thing or two about the world) babble, eat lunch alone at a table swarmed with kids, go back to class to hear some other idiot blab, and then seclude to my room at my temporary home. And so the days went by. One peaceful, unchanging, tranquil day after the next.

I guess you could say that nothing ever really touched me. People cried as people died, but I just sighed. Death was far off from me. Though, I couldn't help shudder off the feeling that I would brush with something much worse more soon than later.

Laughter. Anger. Worry. Love. Friendship. Competition. Growth. Degeneration. It is said that all these emotions are packed within a person's mind. But those emotions just slid along the surface of my feelings so that nothing would ever touch me. Even when I was surrounded by other people, 'children' my 'age', teenagers who were cursing the very thing I lacked, and then people who thought they were 'grown up'. But they are not.

They were just like insects to me. They would make themselves known using their sound, their 'voice', and it was so annoying that you just wanted to shut them up forever by squashing them, but you gave it a second thought thinking that you didn't want to see the bug splatter that was bottled up on the inside. The disgusting goo and guts. Which, if you stared long enough, was more sickening than the voice alone. Well, to any other person. Because I ask myself everyday, 'What if . . . I am not really feeling anything at all?' And then, I get scared.

Even when I was surrounded by people I hardly knew, and whom I didn't want to know, it felt as if I was drifting, drifting away from them. And from this damn world. If only things were . . .

No, thinking about anything other than reality is not going to help. It would just be a fictional story, a fantasy, and we all know illusions are never solid, no matter how much we want them to be.

Yet, still, the suspicion in my heart yearns to be heard. The one that says I really am all alone. That maybe, I really don't have anybody to call a friend. Yet, somehow, I always _knew _that I was and am alone in a world full of people surrounding me. That was the reality.

And as the peaceful, tranquil, unchanging days went by, I sensed there was something wrong about it. Something wrong with the peacefulness. That there was something. . . _artificial _to it. And that is when, the chilling voice. . . The one not only in my head, but also in my heart. It would burn me with its icy hotness. Whispering, always nothing more than a whisper, 'Are you _really _having fun?'

I had a lot of perseverance to avoid it, in any way I can. But that only brought more questions into play. _Why was I thinking such things? Was it true? Or is it Him? Is He planting such uncertainties in my heart and mind so that He can use it and me to His advantage?_

And as every human has its prime, they also have their breaking points. And so, the days would go by; those peaceful, unchanging, empty, tranquil days.

—

Nothingness should return to nothingness after it is done pretending it is something else. Trying to make something of itself. But that will never work, because you cannot pull something from nothingness. That simply cannot be, because nothing exists. And that is what I am, nothingness.

I cannot help but think negative thoughts about myself, my future, and my place in the world. I was born to privilege, as the eldest prince of the world, Titania. But that world was destroyed, and I am what is left behind. And I am about the last of my race, and I am amongst humans.

As everything has its place, so I must, too.

Somewhere in this world, somewhere.

—Fin—

A/N: Have you figured out who is saying this? This says a lot about this person's character. For the record, this person is not bad, and there is still more to come. So, click the button down there and review! I am not Raven, you know. I cannot read minds. . . or can I?

Signed,

Her Sappiness


	5. In His Arms

Disclaimer: All I own are my original characters... and my imaginary friend, Bill-Bob.

Amongst the Quiet

—In His Arms—

FIVE

Raven looked down at her hands in her lap. He did make a good point. She looked up again at his handsome face. "Do you think superheroes are conceited?"

"No. Not all of them. I don't believe you are, anyway." Chris looked deep into her eyes and Raven fought against blushing. _Me blush? I  
must have gotten more emotion than I thought I had. . ._

_- _

It was Friday night and nearly a week since Raven had met Chris at the Harbor Boulevard Café. Raven knew she loved Robin, but why could she not stop thinking about Chris? She had known Robin for years and had been in his mind, she _knew _him inside and out. Yet, she felt more drawn to Chris like they had known each other in a previous life. Something called her to him, and she did not know what. Raven thought about him almost constantly since she left the café and for the first time in her life, Raven fantasized.

It was nothing sexual, of course. Just another meeting of some sort. Chancing across him at the public library, bumping into him at the pizza parlor, seeing him at the mall. Every possibility came to her mind. And she loved it. She had never made up scenarios before and did not know why this hadn't crossed her mind previously.

Something about meeting Chris had sparked something inside of her. She had no idea what it was that burned inside her heart, made her stomach do cartwheels inside of her. She immediately said she loved the feeling and ignored the one question in the back of her mind;_ are first impressions always right?_

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Yeah?" Raven raised her voice so the person on the other side of the door could hear her.

"Raven, are you ready to go?" Raven sat up from the lying position she was in on her bed. "Yes, Robin. I'll be just a sec." Raven smoothed her hair down with her hands before standing up. She walked over to her closet and pulled out two black ankle boots with violet laces — the ones she wore when she met Chris — and slipped them on. Raven said her mantra and slipped through the floor all the way to the garage where everyone was waiting for her in the T-Car.

-

"So, we'll see you back at the tower BEFORE ten o'clock, you hear me?" Cyborg told the two 'lovebirds'. The five of them had had pizza together, but were splitting off into two groups. Starfire, Beast Boy, and Cyborg were branching off to go to the arcade while the two birds were presently getting dropped off at the bookstore.

"Shall do, Cy." Robin saluted to his older teammate and walked off with his arm around Raven's waist.

As they entered the familiar bookstore, they were met with the smell of new books and fresh, hot coffee and tea. Raven walked over to the counter and ordered a milk tea and cappuccino for the two of them. After the she had paid and received their drinks, Raven walked over to the table for two Robin had saved for them.

Robin had bought a newspaper while Raven had gotten their drinks and was currently reading it. Raven didn't mind the silence, though. She was thinking about her behavior during the past week. She had been spacing off so much. What was her problem? Had he done anything to her? No. . . She didn't know how, but she _knew _he would not do anything of the sort. . . to _her_.

Robin noticed her sudden serious and partially glum expression. While Raven was never particularly happy, so to say, she usually wanted to talk and was as lighthearted as she could get. Robin knew this was not like her, so he thought about a way to cheer her up. "So what is on the agenda for today? Horror? Science-fiction? Poetry?" He asked her.

"I really haven't thought about it." Robin could tell she was not thinking about the question posed to her. Instead, she was thinking the same thing she had been for the past week. That much he knew. "Why don't you choose." Raven said as she stared down at her milk tea.

Robin smiled. He wanted her to say just that. "Umm. . . How about manga?"

It took a few seconds, but Raven gasped as she came to realization. "You read my Marmalade Boy, didn't you!" She accused him like he had committed a deadly sin, but Robin just gave her a cheesy grin. She stood up and walked away from Robin. How dare he look in her private stuff, nonetheless GO IN HER ROOM! Who the hell did he think he was?

Raven quickly walked deep into the other end of the bookstore where the romance novels were. Robin wouldn't find her there. . . yet.

She was mad at Robin. He had only tried to cheer her up but had done one heck of a job.

Raven felt a tap on her shoulder and spun around ready to utter some nasty words out of her mouth. But what she found behind her wasn't Robin. It was a normal guy with shaggy blonde hair in a black tee and loose fitting jeans. He smiled charismatically at her and said "What's going on, babe? You look like you should lose some tension. Yours truly is very," he leaned down and whispered what he thought was seductively in her ear, "_very _good at that."

Raven stood there with eyes wide as this guy hit on her, not knowing what to do. It wasn't until the sleazy guy reached down and rubbed her butt like a charm that she came to her senses and slapped the guy. "Dumb blonde. You don't know who you are messing with."

The guy reacted quickly. He grabbed her arm before she could make her getaway and pinned her against the wall of books. "I ain't your average dumb blonde, _whore_. All I want is a few quick minutes of your time and then I'll let you go forever. Is that so much to ask for?"

Raven couldn't move, he had her pinned so hard against the wall, and her emotions were so out of whack, she could not risk using her powers. Where was her knight in shining armor? Shouldn't he have figured out where she was by now? Why did Robin have to take his time when she needed him most?

Raven struggled t get the sleazeball into the right position. Almost had him. . . Just a little bit more. . . and WHAM! She hit him full force where it hurt the most and ran away to the doors of the bookstore where she saw Robin mingling with three blonde ladies.

_What? What is he doing? He's my boyfriend. . . He is. . . he's mine. _Mine!_ Didn't these airheads understand that he is taken! _

With a sad face and forming tears, Raven sped out of the bookstore. She ran past her so-called 'boyfriend', past the three blondes who were noisily popping their gum and flipping their hair, and out onto the street.

Robin saw the purple and black blur in the corner of his eye and turned to watch Raven madly dash out of the facility. Robin quickly dropped the autograph books the three were holding and ran after the woman he loved.

Robin watched her run into the high-class developments behind the strip of stores. Robin didn't know she could run this fast, he usually saw her fly. _She must be so upset she can't use her powers. _Robin watched her and saw that the farther they ran the bigger the houses got. _Time to kick into full-gear. _Robin had been waiting for when she had begun to tire to run as fast as he could. That way it would be easier to catch her, and hopefully without a fight.

Robin was running his max and just as he was gaining on her, he tripped on a tree root sticking out of the cement and fell flat on his face. He looked around, swearing he had not seen the root before he tripped on it. He did not notice the pair of glowing green eyes watching him as they turned their normal blue _You will not mess this up. . ._ Robin looked back up and cursed upon finding Raven nowhere in sight.

-

Raven was tired, she could not deny the fact that her body was slowing down, but she kept running. When she was sure she heard no breathing behind her, she did stop and looked at her surroundings. She was deep into the high-class society. The houses were mansions, and were guarded by high fences and security systems. And, frankly, Raven had no clue where in Jump she was. She had been so absorbed in running away, she paid no attention to where she actually went.

Raven walked farther down the road and stopped behind a tree whose shadow drowned her. She looked up at the moon high in the sky through the tree limbs. She had no sense of how much time it had passed while she was escaping her life. Then Raven realized that Cyborg had set a time limit to their little outing. _What time is it? Cyborg is gonna—_ "It's 10:18." Raven looked around to find where the familiar voice was coming from. She looked right behind her where the fence turned a corner and saw Chris come out of the shadow, literally. It was like he had walked through a portal of darkness. _How did he— _

"Raven, what are you doing _here_?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Raven tried not to act nervous, but why couldn't she act the way she rehearsed in her head?

"Yeah, but I would answer I live here." Chris gestured to a rather large mansion with the nameplate "Yoru".

"Oh."

They stood in silence looking at each other for several minutes. Raven felt unusually antsy and had butterflies in her stomach, whereas Chris stood there tall and calm. As Chris made eye contact with her, she felt it all drain away. He had this effect on her that she could not explain. It seemed that whenever she felt uncomfortable she could look in his eyes and it would all disappear. "Raven?" He asked her.

"Yes, Chris?"

"Why were you so upset?" She looked at the ground and after a few seconds Chris spoke again. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. It isn't any of my business, but I _would _like to help you. . . that is, if I could."

Raven raised her head up so she could stare into the window of his soul. She could usually sense any and all genuine emotion just from one look. She stood there perplexed for a moment. She could still sense the unfelt emotion, and the pain did not seem so much as it did at the Harbor Boulevard Café, but other than that she felt strands of sincerity and concern. _Does he care. . . for me?_

"You were in pain, I could feel it. What pains you so?" He whispered as the breeze began to pick up. Raven averted her eyes at the question and wrapped her arms around herself as she felt chills. Chris came closer to Raven so that they were mere inches apart. "I may not be a person who can warm someone with a smile or anything that deals with emotion, but I do have the warmth all people carry within them." Chris wrapped his arms around Raven's upper torso, in an effort to warm her in the autumn wind.

Time stood still for Raven. She had never felt so. . . happy? No, that wasn't the word for it. Awe-inspired? Maybe. . . In reality, Raven did not know what she felt. All she knew was that she felt _something_. Something that felt good, warm, and something she knew liked and could rely on. _I never thought it would feel so good. . . to be in his arms._

"It's getting cold _and _late. I know whatever was bothering you made you want to keep away from the others, from your home. If you would like, you could stay over here. Believe me, there are more than enough guest bedrooms and apartments in this place." Something about his ghost of a smile made Raven feel so enchanted and special. She could do nothing other than nod, accepting his kind offer.

As sweet and endearing this meeting seemed to be, little did the two know that something was intertwining the two together, bonding their lives and fates into something beyond mere friendship. But someone else did.

-

Chris and Raven walked in through a back entrance into the Yoru Manor. Raven couldn't help but gawk at the extravagance of the entire place. She saw all the paintings of angels and mystical creatures filled the walls in a spectrum of color and gold as they passed through the long hallways filled with magnificently carved doors. "The west wing here is for the guests, the staff, and a few others."

"A few others?" Raven looked at him questioningly. She knew he was trying to hide or at least skim over something. Something important.

"Well, uh. . . me and—"

"Chris! You're back! You had me worried, you left so fast!" A black-haired girl appearing to be about the age of eight ran up and hugged Chris, holding onto his shirt as Chris turned to Raven.

"This," Chris gestured to the girl still clinging onto him, "would be Kira Yoru. She's my little sister." He smiled and looked down at Kira. Raven noticed how soft his eyes became and how much less of the pain he carried when within close range of the girl_. I want to do that to someone. . . Take away their pain by just being near. Will you let me do that to you, Chris?_

"Kira." Chris looked at her as she looked high up at him in return. "This is my friend, Raven. She's going to spend the night here. Would it be okay if she spent the night in your room? You do have the extra bed in there for a friend."

"Yup." She gave an enormous smile to her brother that could only be accomplished by a child. "I like her, she's pretty." Chris looked back at Raven, waiting for her answer, but before she could say anything else she felt someone walk up behind her.

"What is _she _doing here?" A woman with black hair and those familiar green eyes asked with a disapproving attitude. Raven turned around finding a finger stuck in her face. "I am not allowing her in this house."

"A little late on that one." Chris mumbled under his breath as he rolled his eyes.

"I heard that! I cannot believe you are bringing someone so _uneducated _under this roof. I can't believe you are doing this, Chris. Why? Are we not good enough for you?" There was a dramatic pause. "Am _I _not good enough?"

"Tina, it isn't like we were actually going to do anything. You know I am not like that. I am not betraying anyone by allowing my friend a place for the night when she needs help."

"She looks well enough to me." Tina insisted.

"Tina, you look 'well enough to me', yet you still live with us and are treated just like you were one of us. We have shown you a great deal of hospitality since your parents died. Show a little in return." Chris returned to his barely emotional voice from where it was when he was speaking with Kira.

Tina looked hurt with that statement and Kira took her brother's lead and butted into the conversation. "Raven's not a bad person! It's okay if she stays one night." Kira walked over to Raven and took her hand. "I want her to."

Tina could barely take it and looked like she would burst into tears of hate and loss. She had lost once again and to whom? A superhero, that's who. She thought she was someone to him. They had grown up and live together. They knew everything about each other. Ask any question and she could answer it, but now there was a new element in the picture. Would that _girl _succeed in taking him away from her? Had she lost before it had even begun? Without another word Tina sped away from the site of confrontation to her own room. And no one went after her.

Chris looked troubled as to what to do when Raven finally tore her eyes from where Tina was to his face. _She still must mean a lot to him._ Kira tugged onto Raven's arm, "C'mon, Raven. Let's go to my room." guiding her in the direction of her room.

"Just a minute, Kira." Kira obediently stopped in her tracks at the sound of her brother's words. "Raven needs some clothes to sleep in and I think she will fit in yours."

"Yeah, too bad I can't borrow any from Tina. She was about my size, too." Raven said.

"Hey, Raven. Would you mind it if you wore some of my old clothes? You know, a undershirt and some sweat pants or something." Chris suggested. "I know it is kinda makeshift, but it is one of the few options we have."

Raven shrugged. "Makeshift is good."

Chris smiled at that and jogged over to the larger apartments where he lived.

-

Raven woke up early the next morning in a large, comfortable, king-sized bed. She smiled. _A girl could get used to this._ Everything in Yoru Manor was adorned with finery and the absolute best and she swore she had not slept so good since, well. . . _never_.

Raven laid in bed for a good ten more minutes until she heard Kira's breathing begin to pick up as she woke up. "Did you have sleep well, Miss Raven?" When Raven nodded her head, Kira smiled that charismatic childish smile again that melted Ravens's heart just that much more. "Well, we better get ready for the day. Breakfast is at nine." Raven nodded again and then looked forward at the flourishing painting of Rapunzel on the wall in front of her. It was a maiden with long golden hair and eyes slightly two different shades of brown. She was partially leaning over the balcony at a young man all in blue. The sky was cloudless and depicted a beautiful sunset. _Today might not be that bad. . ._

-

Robin was at his computer looking for signs of Raven. He was checking all the security cameras in the high class district and everywhere within a twenty-five mile radius for her. _Where are you? What did I do to hurt you?_ He knew that she couldn't use her powers because she was so upset, and that scared him. She might be physically fit, but in a fight. . . something could happen to her. And the last thing he wanted was for anything to touch her or hurt her in any way. And this was all his fault. He knew it. And he wanted to fix it more than anything else in the world.

But could he?

A/N: Sorry that took so long to write. I wanted to get it just right and I think I did a poor job doing it. I hope _somebody _liked this chapter. I worked really hard on it! And this goes a little into the background of Chris. Don't worry, there's more of him to come. I love Chris, truly I do. And you'll learn more about his powers in chapters to come. Other than that, that's enough of me! Review!

Signed,

Her Sappiness


	6. Autumn

Disclaimer: I don't own — no, wait! I _do _own everything in this chapter! Yippee!  
(Victory boogie)

Amongst the Quiet

—Autumn—

Six

Funny how no matter how old you get, how 'wise' you get, you always have these little discoveries in every day life. Just a little thing that you haven't noticed before. And just as easily as you find them you forget them.

—

It is autumn, now, as I sit under one of the few Sakura (cherry blossom) trees grown in the city. There are a few other trees around me that I can identify; Maple, Oak, Apple, and Fir. I find it so amazing how some things that are labeled "serene" and "peaceful" can seem so restless. But what are they restless for? How is it that an answer can be so simple it is complicated?

I can feel the pre-winter chill in the air, things are going to change. Not just the seasons, but something crucial. It feels so . . . ominous. And I feel so bad, so guilty, because there is nothing more I want in my life than to have change. Am I looking forward to this? This seemingly bad thing? Am _I _bad?

There have been many changes in the last few weeks. I can feel them in my blood. I do not recognize them. But it makes me, makes me _feel_. Are these . . . emotions? I cross my arms over my body and hang my head in shame and distress. Oh, Song! Why _now_? Why after all these years did I develop emotions, _now_?

Of course, no answer. Why would She answer me, of all people? Wait. Did I just view myself as a _person_? It feels like for the first time in my life I don't feel translucent. Instead, I feel like I am solidifying. I am not complete, no, far from that. But I am getting there.

My eyes, they _burn_. They burn with my joy. My eyes get blurry and I quickly take a deep breath and slowly let it out. I can see fine, again. Yes, I must be becoming complete, for I almost cried. I have never cried, before. Not when I saw Destiny die, nor when Tsunami died. And definitely not when I heard about my foster father. I was ruthless. Not like a criminal, I just didn't care. I couldn't care. I had no emotions.

As the leaves turn into the beautiful autumn colors, I can't help but feel older. Like those leaves, it feels like I am rushing to my demise. It will be a showy display, where everybody watches as one by one my colors are gone. And then I will be stripped bare of all life. Just a carcass. A lonely, dead carcass.

—

It has been days since last I sat under the Sakura tree, thinking. I relax a little, sitting down, as I notice that the ground has been littered with leaves. Leaves of all different hues, shifting, moving, uniting as one big pattern. I look up at the other trees, they begin to look scraggly as their beauty abandons them. My beauty abandoned me a long time ago, the little beauty I had to begin with, anyway.

I must look like a leafless tree on the inside. Brown. Rough. Ragged. Reaching with little hands in every direction to gain something back. Trying to regain my beauty, my heritage, my life.

I know my time is drawing near, He is drawing near. I feel His blood pulsing through my veins more and more every day. It cannot be more than a few months. And it saddens me. I try to take in, to captivate, to almost breathe in the moments. To appreciate people. I almost wish, as annoying and pathetic they are, that I could, well, keep them. But there will be no room for them. Not if He gets His ideal world. They will be . . . annihilated. And, as much as I want to, I won't ever be able to bring them back. Like I couldn't bring back my mother, Destiny. And I definitely could not bring back Tsunami.

If only things could've been different. If only I could be stronger. If only, if only. If only I would stop uttering such crap. I will never be strong enough, He _will _come, and there is nothing I, nor anyone else, can do to stop it.

—

I have sat underneath the Sakura tree in my usual spot for some different times, now. I just sit there, pondering. About what? I contemplate everything and nothing. Little things and miracles. But, after one day of reflecting over many things, I found it. And now? _Now_, I know the answer to the restlessness of this season. The autumn leaves know when their due date is up, they know when they are about to die. It is one thing to be alone when you leave, but it is another thing to go accompanied. So, as a last wish, they all go together, almost as one. If they are eager to leave this pathetic world, then should I be?

Or is there something to hold on to?

—Fin—

A/N: Sorry, I was in Hawaii for a week and didn't get to update! Well, at least I got this one up, now. I'll try for Wednesday to get the next one up, but it might be later because I still gotta write it. ' Well, so long for now!

Signed,  
Her Sappiness


	7. Another Shot

Disclaimer: I do not own Raven, Robin, Cyborg, Starfire, Beast Boy, or Titans Tower. I do, however, own Chris, Tina, Mark, Stephanie, Kira, and Madame Chere's.

Amongst the Quiet  
—Another Shot—  
Seven

It had been two weeks since the night she ran away, and for that Raven had to suffer two weeks of constantly being watched. It wasn't only Robin obsessing over her safety, oh no. It was also Cyborg 'protecting' his little sister, Starfire making sure her only 'best friend that was a girl' was going to stay on the team and Beast Boy following right behind her. The past two weeks had been _killing _her! If only she could get away. . .

_I wish Robin would just shut up about my 'disappearing act'. _Raven was laying down on her back on her bed. She shifted as she uncomfortably thought of how everyone, especially Robin, was treating her for the past two weeks.

'_Maybe he is just looking after you?'_ She was staring into nothingness on her ceiling as the voice in the back of her head responded to her thought.

_It was his own fault! _She thought back.

'_Was it really? Or are you just trying to blame someone other than yourself?' _That was a strong point that made Raven think. Was she trying to find an excuse not to blame herself?

_I didn't do anything wrong, did I? _Raven asked in general, pondering over whether or not running away was the right solution.

"_I don't think you did." _Th-that voice! Raven sat up in bed. She _had _heard that voice in her head, hadn't she?_ "Yup. I'm talking into your mind, Raven. You might as well answer me." _Raven thought it was impossible that _he _was speaking in her mind, but thought back to the Harbor Boulevard Café when he had entered her mind and began to talk to her then.

"_Um. . . hi?"_

"_Hi yourself. I heard your week hasn't been going as smoothly as you'd like. Wanna talk about it?"_

Raven sighed in her head and went on. _"Yeah, the last two weeks have been hell. I cannot believe Robin would go into overprotective drive as bad as he did. I knew he would to a certain extent, but not to the point where he posted video cameras in my personal room and then locked me in it! _

Chris whistled in her head. _"Wow, you must have him really scared." _

"_Oh, I'll make him scared. . ." _Raven paused before continuing._ "But that is just the beginning. I also have my other three teammates on me, as well!" _

"_Wow, that's a lot to deal with. Are you sure you can handle it?" _Chris asked her knowing exactly how she felt. Raven picked up on that but did not implore further about his situation._ "I'll live." _She answered.

"_Hey, he doesn't have cameras in your bathroom, does he?" _Raven raised her eyebrow in her trademark expression at his question.

"_. . . no. Why do you ask?" _She answered cautiously because she had no idea where he was going with that.

"_I wanted to know if you wanted to slip out for a bit." _He answered without any hesitation, but not as eagerly as she had partially hoped.

Raven waited a minute before asking him,_ "When and where?"_

"_That's more like it. I was thinking Madame Chere's at 5:30." _Raven mentally nodded in agreement. _"One catch, though."_

"_What would that be?" She asked.  
_

"_You have to get out of your costume into dare-I-say-it. . . a dress."_ Raven quirked her eyebrow, again. Chris chuckled in her head. _"Yeah, I know. It is outrageous, but that is pretty much the only way they'll let us in."_

Raven didn't have to even think for a moment. _"Well, I'll choose a dress over the treatment I'm getting here, any day."_

"_It's _that _bad?" _It was Raven's turn to chuckle.

"_Okay, how am I supposed to get out of this prison?" _She thought to him, eager to get out of this hell-hole and out into the real world.

"_Well, get the things you would use for a bath including some fresh clothes and go into your bathroom and start the tub. While the water is filling up the tub, transport your clothes through the floor, get changed, and do whatever else you think is necessary. Then, when you are done, go through the floor and meet me at Madame Chere's on Main Street by the library." _Chris got straight to the point. Maybe he _was _eager, after all.

"_Great, I'll see you there." _Raven told him telepathically as their conversation drew to a close.

"_Lovely. Bye." _Chris told her farewell and waited a moment for Raven to say hers before departing.

"_Bye, Chris." _She could tell when he had left her head. It felt so empty and devoid of life; even worse than the prison held around her. Raven did not like the feeling, and wanted it to stop as soon as possible. _Was this how it felt without him? _She asked herself. _If it is, I never want to leave him, again._

Raven then got up from her bed and collected various things for her "bath".

—

Raven walked down Main Street towards Madame Chere's in a midnight blue halter top, a black skirt that reached a bit below her knees with a minor slit, and cute black heels with a matching purse. She held the right side of her hair back with two black barrettes but let a tendril of purple hair frame her face. She looked gorgeous, and by the way everyone was looking at her, she knew it, too.

For the first time in her life, she was accepted socially without her powers or her "fame" having any pull in it. She was just a normal person going out to eat. Who cares if she had purple hair, violet eyes, and a red chakra in the middle of her forehead? She was still a person. And even if it was just for one night, she was going to live like a normal one.

"Wow, Raven, you look beautiful!" Raven looked behind her at a man in a black suit and midnight blue shirt. His shoes were polished, like they were brand new, and his black hair was pulled into a ponytail at the nape of his neck.

"You don't clean up so bad, yourself." Raven replied with a smile.

Chris smiled back at her, warmly, lovingly almost. Raven looked at it and wondered why she had never noticed that he was so enlivening when he did. In the few seconds he held that smile, time stopped for her. Raven observed and imprinted in her mind every aspect of his smile. The way his hair fell over his shoulder as his head cocked to the side, how his eyes crinkled on the edges, his perfect, white teeth peaking through his lips. It all ended too soon for her, and she wished she could make him smile again, just to feel the inspiration she had felt.

"You'd almost think we would have planned this." Chris gestured to their attire. Raven had just noticed that they both matched and how each one complimented the other. She nodded. "What do they say; 'great minds think alike'?"

Raven noticed the way his eyes sparkled when she said that. It left her in awe. "Shall we?" He held out his elbow and opened the french doors for the both of them.

"Yes. Let's."

—

They were seated immediately because Chris had made a reservation for a fine table by the window where they could watch the sunset, together. The way the waves of color sank into the sea just mystified her. She had lived here for years and yet had never admired it the way she did, now. _Why have I never viewed the sunset this way? Is it because the sunset has never appeared this beautiful before or is it because I am with someone special? _Raven stopped as she was unfolding her napkin_. Wait, someone. . . _special? _Since when did he become special in my eyes? I mean, I already have someone special, right? RIGHT!_

Raven looked up to find Chris's eyes on her with his eyebrow raised. _I hope he didn't hear that. . . _She frantically thought as she reassured him she was all right with a wave of her hand. Inside, though, she was still jittery and Chris could tell.

"Raven?"

"Yeah, Chris?" Raven replied as she straightened out her napkin over her lap; causing a distraction that gave an excuse not to look at him or anything in his general direction.

"Look at me." He demanded in a kind voice, but firmly.

"Uh, okay. . ." She hesitantly looked at him into his eyes and immediately felt relief from her tension and the calmness she felt whenever she was with him.

"Do you know what I just did?" He asked her in such a way that made her curious.

She thought for a moment, trying to figure out what he was talking about. "You . . . did something?" She gave up after a moment or two of pondering and decided to let him tell her.

Chris nodded his head. "I have the ability to take emotions away from a person so they can be calm, relaxed, soothed. You tend to have a lot of stress, don't you? I guess, doing what you do, it comes with the job description. I could never handle that much stress." He gave her a small smile and she thought back to the past times she had with Chris and how she felt so tranquil. _So, that's his secret, huh? _

The waiter came up to them and gave them their menus after discussing the specialties of the day. Raven opened her five-paged menu to find that the caesar salad was $56. _Oh, my god. Not even the Titans can afford to eat here. _

"Don't worry about it, I got us covered." Chris said immediately after she had thought that. "You think I would invite a pretty lady to dinner and not pay for it?" He winked at her. "Nope, goes against my honor code. So, don't worry about the cost; eat to your heart's content."

"You _do _realize how cheesy that sounded, don't you?" Raven said without a single emotion crossing her face.

"What? You don't want me to pour out my undying love for you in the middle of the restaurant?" He put his hands up to his heart and made a very over enthused pose while Raven chuckled and shook her head. She couldn't hold her poker-face.

"I so would rather die than have that much embarrassment." She honestly told him.

"Yeah, I am not really into the over dramatic romantic crud, either." He smiled at her(?) before continuing. "Kira is sucked into it, though. Ugh, all the romantic fairy tales I had to read to her at night when she was younger. . . She doesn't quite get the fact that even older guys aren't into the mushy stuff, yet."

"How old is she?" Raven asked about the skinny child with shiny black hair who was so kind as to share her bedroom with a complete stranger. She envied the strong, trusting relationship between brother and sister that she would never have.

"Nine."

"Wow, nine. Before you know it, she'll be a teenager and _then _you'll know just how mushy she is. She hasn't had her first crush yet, has she?" Before she knew it, she started to throw caution to the wind and become herself. Her _real _self. The one who was quietly laughing as she teased the man in front of her.

"Let's not go there. I am really not looking forward to losing her as a child. I prefer her innocence and naivety to a hormonal girl who wants to have some sort of romance with the first guy she lays eyes on." He sighed and let his head fall.

Raven stopped laughing and her face turned as solemn as his. "Experience?"

"Stephanie was like that. . . a lot." He told her without looking into her eyes. Instead, he focused on the tablecloth like he was having the conversation with it and not Raven. "She's grown out of it, but for a while she was trying to find a guy, _any _guy, to fill the void in her heart where her parents should have been."

"She has really bad parents?" Raven thought back to the fiery redhead she saw at the Harbor Boulevard Café. She looked like she was only Raven's age, but her eyes. . . In her eyes there was such wisdom, experience, _sadness_.

"Oh, her parents are horrible. They are not only non-existent in Stephanie and her brother's lives, but they are both having affairs and everyone knows it. They would get a divorce, but her father is worried about appearances and her mother is worried about finances, so they just keep doing stuff they shouldn't be doing." He explained with such sorrow, it made Raven see how bad the world _really _was behind doors. She lived with her friends, her family, without a second thought of the rest of the world's predicament. What insecurity she and her brother must feel, knowing that the two people who are supposed to love them the most, don't even love each other.

With a bitter taste in their mouths, the waiter came and it was time to order.

—

"Raven?" Robin knocked on her door.

He needed to talk to her. Something about their bond felt. . . _wrong_. Something was happening and he wanted, no, _needed _to know what was going on.

He knocked on her door three more times and twice as hard.

No answer.

"Raven! I need to talk to you. OPEN THE DOOR!" Robin shouted at the door. It was to no avail, there was no 'shut up, and leave me alone' or an 'I don't want to hear it' like he had expected. This only added to his suspicion.

Still no answer.

"That's it." He muttered. "I'm punching in the security code." And he did just that. After punching in the nine-digit code the door slid open to reveal. . . nothing. No sight of her at all.

"Raven?"

Nothing.

He wandered around her room and looked everywhere. Heck, he even looked under her bed! Yet, there was nothing, no sign that she had even been there for who knows how long.

Robin looked over to her bathroom, it was the only other place she could be. The door was closed. Was she in there? Should he dare go inside? After a moment of consideration, he decided to take his chances.

He knocked on the door and waited.

After no reply he opened the door to reveal her usual leotard, boots, and cloak on the floor. That along with a pair of black dress shoes tossed to the side and makeup lying on her vanity_. She left. . . but to where?_

Had he gone too far? Did he drive her away? He was only concerned for her safety. Then why did she leave without saying where she was going? He sulked as he walked out of her bathroom and sat on her bed. _My only option is to wait for her to come back. . ._

—

"Wow, that was such wonderful food! I've never had lobster before." Raven said as she and Chris walked down the street laughing and having a good time. They were far from where they had been when they ordered. Awkward silences filled some of the gaps between conversation, but after the food came they had more to talk about and ended up having a great time together. _Which I hope we always will._

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'll have to tell Mark."

"Tell him what?"

"Well, let's just say that his mother's name is Chere. . ."

"WHAT! You mean you're friends with. . . Mark is. . . You've got to be kidding!"

"Nope. How else could I have gotten such great seats on such short notice? You usually need to put in a reservation in at least a week in advance here."

"I can't believe you're friends with someone so. . . high class."

"Just because someone has a lot of financial backing does not make them high class." Chris said almost bitterly. "Stephanie is the daughter of the senator, Mark is the son of a wealthy restaurant owner, and Tina is the daughter of two deceased brain surgeons who won the lottery. We all have a plethora of money, yet none of us are high class. At least, we would rather not be." Chris walked ahead with long strides and Raven fought to keep up.

"What is so wrong with high class?"

Chris sighed. "High class is overrated. All it means is that you have money, power, and an emptiness that no amount of "success" can fulfill." He walked on.

Raven thought he was talking from experience at first, but then realized he wasn't talking about himself, but someone else who should have been close to him. "Your parents are like that, aren't they?"

He stopped so suddenly, Raven almost ran into him. He turned around to face her. He nodded with pitiful eyes. She thought it looked like he blamed himself for his parents' faults.

"Why are you so angry at them? I can feel it building up inside of you."

"It's because they feel like they failed with me. . . so they won't even try with Kira. She's left alone most of the time. I can't be there for her every time she needs me to be. . ."

"Why is that? Because you can't or won't?"

"Because I am not able to be. I cannot be there her entire life. I can't help but feel responsible for her. She's such a fragile creature, yet always looking out for others and receiving nothing in return. It depresses her and there is noone but myself to encourage her so she can get through another day."

Raven stood there for what seemed an eternity for both of them. Everything about him seemed so intense and emotional. _How is it that he can feel and I cannot? _She noticed how he was such an enigma; dark and puzzling. That made her want to figure him out so badly she wanted to cry. But she couldn't. Because she could not feel. . . At least, not as much as he could.

_Okay. . . lighten the mood, Raven. Do something to end this awkward silence! _She did not know how long it had been that they were standing there on the street next to a lamp post. "So. . . Uh. Hmm. . ." Raven searched in her head something for them to discuss and to end the solemn tone their conversation had ended with. "So, do you have a job?" Raven mentally smacked herself on the forehead for that one. _I'm such an idiot._

"If you are asking if I am a bagboy at the local grocery store I can assure you I am not." He said with slight humor in his voice.

"So what _do _you do?" She asked again, pretending not to notice how his face had lightened up dramatically.

"I am training under my father, right now. He wants me to take over the family business one day. Sure, it makes great money, but that is about it." Chris sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose; a habit she had grown to love. "There is no creativity, no room to be yourself. All in all, the financial world is the worst shade of gray in a very colorful spectrum. It's the pits."

She smiled when he had regained his composure. Being upset did nothing beneficial and only made you beat yourself up for things that were not your fault.

"So," Chris held out his arm again, "shall I walk you home?" He stated more than asked. When she nodded and locked her arm in his, he took short strides forward so she could keep up easily.

As they walked they shared their laughter, their worries, and possibly their future. Raven was saddened when they finally reached the Tower. Her night as a civilian was. . . over.

"Are you going to be okay?" Chris asked her after they exchanged their goodbyes.

"Yeah. I think I will." She said and chanted her mantra to slip back into the Tower.

Raven did not know how wrong that statement would prove to be.

—Fin—

A/N: I am SOOOOOOO sorry! I had nothing written and I thought I could write it before I went on vacation. . . which we all know did not happen. I'm sorry! I didn't mean for that to happen, now I just have to write the next chapter. . . . I hope that won't take as long as this did. Well, later.

Signed,  
Her Sappiness


	8. Different

A/N: Sorry it has been so long, everyone! I'll try to get back on track with this story asap. I was forced to take a vacation from it because I went on a few vacations to Disney World and other places and then I had school piling up, and then my computer flat out died on me (and everything was on there - not printed), and then it took about four weeks to get my new computer up and running and to transfer all the data. It's just been one whole hassle and I am finally up for writing more.

Now, the story!

Disclaimer: Okay, say it with me, "I. Do. Not. Own. The. Teen. Titans." _Very _good, class!

Amongst the Quiet  
—Different—  
EIGHT

'Sometimes we forget where we once were with where we are, now.' I cannot remember who told me that, once, but it is something I shall never forget. At one point that was the only truth in my life, it seemed. Right now, my life is going in a straight direction. I am not troubled with twists and turns in the road, but does that mean I can forget the past? It doesn't matter in the end. There are some things that cannot be forgotten, whether you want to leave them behind or not.

"You don't understand. I never wanted to catch anyone's attention. . ." I can remember days of long ago. Even then I did not fit in. In fact, I don't have a memory of ever being 'normal'. Everyone thought of me as 'different'. I was 'odd'. I was 'unlike' the rest of my classmates. I was not 'average'.

"Tell me, Chris. Why is that?" She asked me what seemed the billionth question in the half hour I had spent cooped up in the 'guidance room'.

I merely answered, "Because attention is never good . . . when you are different." This was another truth I lived by and still do. The guidance counselor did not understand, and I am sure she never will. I know I was not a happy child. I was not a funny child. Nor silly, nor horny, nor angry, nor morbid. I was a silent child. One who was blank all the time. One who sat back and analyzed everyone else's reactions instead of having my own. Was the fact that I liked being balanced in everything a reason to hate my very being?

My parents, even, were never very fond of me. Sure, they took care of me, but they never payed any special attention to me. This may seem twisted, but I am glad they did not. The last thing I wanted to become was a spoiled brat who was dependent on everyone and everything around me. I hope I never become completely dependent on the world around me like so many others are.

You say I am not 'normal', but what exactly is the meaning of that? The sameness, the unity. . . I see none of that in this world. Just like a jigsaw puzzle where each piece is different; this world is the same. There is only one person who fits in that particular space. There are similar pieces to each other in separate places on that puzzle. There are your groups. People who look like and fit in with each other. Put also like as enormous jigsaw puzzle, there are too many pieces to solve. There will always be at least a few that will never fit no matter how hard they try to 'fix' their shape. It doesn't work that way, not with them. . . and definitely not with me.

And as everything has its own, unique place in that jigsaw puzzle, so I must, too. Somewhere amidst the chaos. . . Somewhere.

—Fin—

A/N: I am sorry this is so short. . . But at least you know EXACTLY who is talking (not like you didn't already know). Well, review, please! I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as I can! I know what is going to happen, I just can't get it down on paper XP

Signed,  
Her Sappiness


	9. Reached the End

Disclaimer: Titans me no ownee.

Amongst the Quiet  
—Reached the End—  
Nine

"_Raven?" Robin knocked on her door. _

_He needed to talk to her. Something about their bond felt. . . wrong. Something was happening and he wanted, no, needed to know what was happening. _

_He knocked on her door three more times and twice as hard._

_No answer._

"_That's it." He muttered. "I'm punching in the security code." And he did just that. After punching in the nine-digit code the door slid open to reveal. . . nothing. No sight of her at all. _

_Had he gone too far? Did he drive her away? He was only concerned for her safety. Then why did she leave without saying where she was going? He sulked as he walked out of her bathroom and sat on her bed_. My only option is to wait for her to come back. . .

_Meanwhile. . ._

_As they walked they shared their laughter, their worries, and possibly their future. Raven was saddened when they finally reached the Tower. Her night as a civilian was. . . over. _

"_Are you going to be okay?" Chris asked her after they exchanged their goodbyes._

"_Yeah. I think I will." She said and chanted her mantra to slip back into the Tower. _

_Raven did not know how wrong that statement would prove to be._

—

Raven entered her bathroom with a hiss of black magic. She looked in the mirror at herself as the black energy slowly dissipated from her body. The midnight blue halter top clung to her which emphasized her bust and made her stomach look even flatter. The short black skirt was short enough to reveal her long, sensual legs, but long enough to be modest and only had a minor slit on one side. Her cute black heels and matching purse added to the sexy, but not slutty look. Although she had a gorgeous body a goddess would envy, it wasn't her body she was looking at.

Her face. . .

She was blushing. And it only added to her beauty, though she would never admit she was anything more than perhaps pretty. Starfire was the beautiful one. She, Raven, was just part of the background. _And it will always be that way. . ._ Then she smiled._ It will always be that way, except for the one night of my life that others, including a certain half-demon I admire, were looking at _me.

Raven paused for a minute as she looked at the smoky eyeshadow and black eyeliner that decorated her eyes. _Do I just admire him? Is it only that — only as simple as that? _Her vision blurred the more she thought and the reflection of herself became more and more distorted until she was nothing more than colors slapped together on an invisible canvas. She thought about Chris; truly and deeply. All of his little habits she had picked up in the few visits she had had with him. The way he would smile when he thought no one was looking. . . his lean, but muscular body. . . his laughter. . . how he would rub the bridge of his nose when he was stressed or unsure of how to explain something or what to do. . . his long hair that seemed darker than the night. . . his stormy blue eyes. . . his—

"I need to stop this." She said aloud. What was she, a Chris fanatic?_ Just because he has shown a little interest in me doesn't mean anything, right? _

_Right?!_

"I am hopeless." She sighed and then whispered. " I don't do emotions, that's why I have never felt like this before. Not even with Robin. . ." Raven gasped. _Not even with Robin? _What did that mean? What was the conclusion she was trying to come to? "If I haven't felt like this before, and don't know what it is because I have never experienced it with Robin, does that mean I don't love Robin. . . but Chris, instead?" Raven sat down and unbuckled her shoes. They clunked as she dropped them onto the tile floor of her bathroom louder than she thought they would. "For the love of Azar. . ." She said rubbing her temples in circular motion. That was a _lot_ louder than she had ever thought shoes could make. What caught her even more off-guard was the knocking on her bathroom door.

She almost jumped out of her skin! Whoever was knocking on her door had some nerve to come into her room uninvited and then wait for her to get back.

Without using her powers and before the person said anything, she instantly knew who it was. The only person who would be stubborn enough to do such a thing. "Raven, open up. It's me, Robin." When no response came she heard him knock on her bathroom door, again. "Raven, I know you are in there, now."

'_Now'? Just how long has he been waiting?_ Raven decided she didn't care. This person had violated her personal space for possibly hours on end! Raven didn't care, but that didn't mean she was indifferent. She was far from that. Her blood boiled that the one person who should know well enough that she did not like her room violated at any time, for any reason, was now trespassing! Who the hell did he think he was? Oh, Raven was pissed beyond compare.

The door separating them swung open violently before Robin had the chance to knock again. "What do you want from me?!" She screamed at him, her eyes turning red as he looked unaffected by her rage (he was really scared shitless that his Raven would do such a thing. . . He wasn't that bad of a boyfriend, was he?). "You first are too damn busy to talk to me, then you ignore me, then you lock me up. . . What am I supposed to do?! Make up your mind and tell me what will make you happy!!" Four red eyes glared daggers back at him as she continued to scream at him.

"What would make me happy is to see you safe from harm and happy."

"Does that mean you have to chain me up like a dog and watch me every second of the day?!"

"Raven! Get a hold of yourself! You aren't acting like usual." There was a pause as Robin searched for the right words. "I just want to see you happy."

"I know what would make me happy. . . more than you do." Her breathing slowed and she closed her eyes. She was gaining control, again of her body. "In fact." She said. "I know you can_not_ make me happy."

"Raven. . . what are you saying? You seriously don't mean. . ."

"Oh, yes I do! I'm sorry, Boy Blunder, but we're through." Robin's eyes widened behind his mask as the words he never wanted to hear reached his ears. "Now, first thing you can do as a dumped man is get your filthy self out of my room!" Raven tapped her feet as he delayed leaving for lack of something to say.

Robin swallowed before taking a risk. "It's Chris, isn't it?" Raven blinked in confusion. "You've been cheating on me with Chris." His hands clenched and his teeth ground together as a jealous rage began to brew. "Look at you! You've never gone through so much trouble to look good for any of our dates, but you will for a man you don't even know!"

"I didn't know I had to!" She yelled defensively. "And for the record, Chris has never asked me out on a date. We're just friends getting to know one another."

Robin was unconvinced. "You obviously like him enough to put on a skirt for him." His face scrunched up in negative emotions. "You would rather die than do that for _me_."

"The more you pursue this, the worse our relationship will be come tomorrow." Raven pointed to the exit from her room. "I suggest you leave." He looked her square in the eye with no intention of moving. "NOW!!" After seeing the malice in her contorted face as she screamed, he thought over what she just said. What would their relationship be like tomorrow? Would there even be anything there on her end other than malignant anger? No, it would be best to let her cool down. They could calmly talk about this another day. _Surely she didn't mean what she just said, right? _

Robin backed away, but never stopped looking away from her face. _Damn, she even wore makeup. I never even knew she had some._ His sorrowful eyes met her enraged eyes. Robin slowly looked away as he backed into the door that would lead him into the hallway. He opened the door to make his exit and closed it after one side glance at her and then left her to her own destructive powers.

Raven closed the bathroom door in front of her and slid to the floor. Why did she get so mad just now? She practically attacked him. . . But she meant every last word she had said and she knew that. But _why_? Maybe. . . some things are just not meant to be. It was true he hadn't been kind and sweet and understanding to her the whole time they were dating. Especially lately. But she could think of one person who had been ever since she had met him. Would _he_ accept her? Did _he_ like her more than a friend? Would _he_ become all that she wanted and ever needed?

And after careful consideration, she decided. "Yes to all the above." She said aloud with a smile on her face. She looked back in the mirror. And she didn't look like the demon she was in the previous moments. She looked like an angel; Chris's angel.

—Fin—

A/N: I know, I know. It's sad and it broke my heart just to write it (and not very well, at that). I might retouch it later, but now I am just too darn tired to do anything else. I sat myself down and forced the words to come. . . It was so hard to breakup my favorite couple!! Anyway, I should be able to update within two weeks. I have some of the next chapter written, but not a lot. It won't be as hard as this one, I don't think, but we'll just have to find out. Well, ta-ta!!

Signed,  
Her Sappiness


	10. Without A Raven

Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Teen Titans, nor Kelly Clarkson, but I do own the following poem, "Have You Ever Felt"

Amongst the Quiet  
—Without A Raven—  
TEN

_Oh, how I wish  
I could sing for you  
Oh, how I wish  
I would sing with you_

_Have you ever felt alone?  
Have you ever felt remorse?  
I can help them go away,  
But you'd have to be with me, of course_

_I remember when you flew away with me that night  
It hurt so much when you left to part  
I could do more for you then than I can, now  
But I can lend you a broken heart_

_Have you ever felt desperate?  
Have you ever felt trapped in the undertow?  
Let's leave tonight and never look back  
There is so much about you I need to know_

_Oh, how I wish  
I could sing for you  
Oh, how I wish  
I would sing with you_

_Have you ever felt overwhelmed?  
Have you ever felt upset?  
Have you ever wondered how we'd be  
If we had never met?_

_It is hard to fall asleep knowing you were just standing next to me  
It is hard to say that I care when I am so afraid of losing you  
If I could only tell you what my heart tells me  
But was my heart wrong in choosing you?_

_Have you ever felt like no one could reach you?  
Have you ever felt betrayed?  
Are you willing to admit to your feelings?  
There is always that one person who hurt you and took it all away_

_Oh, how I wish  
I could sing for you  
Oh, how I wish  
I would sing with you_

_Sing with me,  
Robin_

"There, perfect." Robin said after inking his name onto a sheet of parchment paper. He had been up all night and worked the majority of the day making it the way he needed it to be: perfect. It had been a few weeks since Raven and Chris had started dating and he had been what seemed 'fine' to others but deep down, Robin was bleeding. He had always tried to be the emotionless, fearless leader of the Teen Titans. But that had all changed when he and Raven had first realized there was something between them.

Robin had been so shut off from emotions for such a long time that he became dependent on the time alone with Raven. He loved Raven, with all his heart, mind, and soul. But did she still love him? Before their biggest obstacle was when to stop so nothing would explode_. But that is not the case anymore_, Robin realized. _Now, the obstacle between Raven and me being happy together is some half-brother of a tree-hugging freak!_

Now, on the inside, Robin was grim, miserable, sad, and. . . pathetic. The work he had once taken on as his own, crime fighting, was now halfhearted. As the Lord says, "You cannot slave for two masters; for he will either hate the one and love the other, or he will stick to one and despise the other." Without his being with or even seeing Raven daily, he was hating everything else, he just wanted to reminisce on the beautiful past they had once shared, and thus was fading.

"So this is how the Boy Wonder goes down, is it? Who would think that he would die of a broken heart? _No one_. Because _no one _knows the Boy Wonder. No one except Raven, and she doesn't care anymore. She just threw me away for someone she doesn't even know. I thought we had a bond. . . didn't we?" At this point Robin was trying to choke down his sobs, but was highly unsuccessful.

—

It took Robin about a half hour to gain control of himself. After he did finally stop crying completely, he realized he looked like shit. He got up out of his desk chair and went over to the bathroom to clean himself up. As he made his way over he passed by his small FM tuner and turned it on. He couldn't explain it, but he felt, no, _knew _that he needed the radio on. He felt it was because nothing had calmed his nerves as much as the radio in however long they had been apart.

But, surprisingly, there was static. Switched to where another station should be, static. Then he went to his last station he liked and Kelly Clarkson was on. "Oh, goodness. When will the madness stop!" He sighed and since there was nothing else on, literally, he decided to keep it on. The song had barely started;

_Roll over baby  
The time has come  
To make a little bit more room   
I've hung around you  
It's getting tough  
I think I'm gonna break down soon_

Robin was splashing his face with water when the first verse was complete. "Wha—?" He couldn't even finish the word. Okay, first the intuition of turning on the tuner, then no frequency except this station, now a song highly appropriate. It all sent shivers down his spine, but he didn't turn the radio off.

_Well, I remember  
Crying in the park  
It was getting dark  
Suddenly I looked up  
You were my sky_

"Is this an omen?" Robin wasn't very superstitious, but now he was wondering if he should change his mind about it all.

_So go on  
And sleep darlin'  
Why don't you pretend we were just a dream?  
It's cool baby  
It doesn't matter anyway  
Well, I'm so sorry  
Got to the station a little too late  
Such a shame   
We just missed the train Just missed the train_

Robin heard a door open and close from downstairs, somebody just came home, and when he meant 'somebody' he meant Raven. Robin dried his face and reapplied his mask. He heard her familiar light footsteps. She was coming down the hall to her room, her sanctuary.

_Be quiet angel  
Don't make a sound  
Save it for a rainy day  
Oh can't you see me?  
I'm such a mess  
Trying hard to find my way_

Robin walked out of his bathroom and over to the door that led to the hallway with Kelly Clarkson still playing. He waited for the precise moment to open the door, one that might make his exit into a certain 'somebody'. _Wait for it, wait for it. . . Five footsteps, four footsteps, three, two, one, OPEN!_

_Do you remember  
Wastin' all the time?  
We were feeling fine   
Though we couldn't walk the line  
We were alright _

"Oh, Raven, I'm sorry. Didn't see you there." Robin had walked out at the exact time he needed to run into Raven and knock them both down like bowling pins.

_So go on  
And sleep darlin'  
Why don't you pretend we were just a dream?  
It's cool baby  
It doesn't matter anyway  
Well, I'm so sorry  
We got to the station a little late  
Such a shame  
We just missed the train _

Raven blushed and pulled her hood back over her face. She thought it demeaning to be sprawled all over the floor with the leader of her team— who was also her ex-boyfriend. She had been avoiding Robin as much as he had her, well, until this little incident.

_Oh why'd that train just pass us by? Didn't anyone see we were stuck at the light?  
Or we would've made it on time  
Yeah  
Yeah, yeah  
Yeah. . ._

"I am sorry, Raven. I really am. Here, let me help you up." Robin stuck out a hand after standing up himself. Robin smiled his famous heart-throb grin, forcing Raven to comply.

_So sleep darlin'  
Why don't you pretend we were just a dream?  
It's cool baby  
It doesn't matter anyway  
Well, I'm so sorry  
Got to the station a little too late _

After they both were standing up, Raven brushed herself off. This caused Robin to look over her smooth body with the curves in all the right places. This wasn't good, Robin was remembering the feel of her silky skin on his when their hands touched, the way her soft hair felt on his arms when he wrapped them around her neck. He was remembering all the moments when Raven let them have physical contact. (A/N: Not like that, you pervs!) "So where were you? On an errand of some sort?" Robin asked her after a few moments of nothing but the sounds of breathing and shuffling feet.

_So sleep darlin'  
Why don't you pretend we were just a dream?  
It's cool baby  
It doesn't matter anyway  
Well, I'm so sorry  
Got to the station a little too late  
Such a shame _

"No, Chris wanted to meet on the other side of the city, I just got off the train." Robin's eyes widened as the song ended and at the same time she walked away, her thoughts being invaded by Chris.

**We **_just missed the train_

—

"So I'm a 'tree-hugging freak', now am I?" Blue eyes stopped glowing green as they returned to normal. "That wasn't very nice. . ." He smiled in contemplation. "But then again, I wasn't very nice by causing breaking them up in the first place. Guess I'll allow him some leeway and won't cause his nightmares to become as real — and possibly as deadly — as his worst fears." The boy just shook his head and walked off into his forest. Everything was going according to plan. And it would happen, no matter what, because they would need Chris the most, and vice versa.

—Fin—

A/N: Talk about a heart throbbing ending! I was looking through all the lyrics of songs I have, and this one sorta popped out as the only one that actually somewhat fit, so I used it. And just so you know, I am a horrible choreographer! I cannot put anything in the right places, so there you have it, my electronic confession.

Signed,  
Her Sappiness


	11. Sometimes

Disclaimer: I -schlerck- not o— -schlerck- the T— -scherck- -itans or Brit— -schlerck- —ears. I am so glad I do not have to repeat myself.

Amongst the Quiet  
—Sometimes—  
ELEVEN

"That was sooo demeaning! Unacceptable! What do I look like? A little kindergartener who can just be harassed? He did it on purpose, I know he did, the little scoundrel. . ." Raven was pissed, well that was only the understatement of the year. Raven was furious to the point of thinking of all the different ways of how to get Robin to _not _ever touch her again. One of these ways, for example, contained a whip, a straightjacket, and well, you get the picture.

And once the creative juices get going, they are quite hard to stop. That is unless, **BANG BANG BANG**! Raven groaned followed by a muttering of, 'just when it was getting to be good,' on the way to her door. "What is it—"

"Fri—"

"Star? What is the matter?" Raven's mood softened from rage to distress by the look on her friend's face. She didn't like it when any of her friends cried, especially not Starfire. It was almost too much to bear. "Come, let's go into your room. I don't think my room will cheer you up much."

"Yes, Friend Ra—" sniffle, sniffle "—ven." Raven ushered her, what seemed to be, wounded friend by the wrist. It saddened Raven to only hear sniffles from behind her, not lighthearted, energetic Starfire. _This isn't right. What do I do? What to do? I am not the one who gives you a hug, offers warm comforting words, and kisses you to make it feel better. _Raven almost laughed at the thought, then was disrupted from her thought by another especially long sniffle. "Star? Let's stop at a bathroom to get a box of tissues."

"Yes friend Ra—" sniiiiiifffffle "—ven" was all she said, almost like an automated response. Raven winced, sadness sweeping her body. This was a condition no one deserved to be in, this despair.

After retrieving the item they proceeded to Starfire's room where her nameplate hung highly on the door. _Now is the moment of truth_, thought Raven. If Starfire looked like this, imagine what her room would look like. Raven inhaled and let it out when she opened the door. It was dark and seemed cold and unforgiving with all the lights off. All that was on was a CD, Raven couldn't make it out, now, but didn't focus on that. She led Starfire to the bed and sat her down with the tissue box in-between them.

"Star?"

"I hope you do not mind the sneezy player on." Starfire apologized while averting her eyes to the floor.

"Oh, the CD player. No, I don't mind." Raven told her without hesitation. It was almost too quickly and seemed false to Raven's ears. Starfire was so deep in her depression that she did not notice. Raven was grateful and saddened at the same time.

"I was hoping you would say that." Starfire blew her nose a few times before continuing. "I know you do not appreciate the Britney that Spears."

"As long as it makes you happy, I can _try _to survive." Raven smiled her small smile and tried to throw in a little bit of humor. (Even though she really meant it. But Starfire didn't need to know that.)

"Oh, Glor— _fine_." Raven's smile faded away instantly.

"Starfire, I have never seen you this way, before." Raven sighed. She really wasn't the right person for this job. But what else could she do? Starfire came to _her_, and she couldn't intentionally let her teammate and best friend down in her time of need. "What is the matter? Did Beast Boy do anything to upset you, because if he did—"

"No, it was not him at all!" Starfire interjected before Raven could finish her threat. "But, it _is_ about him." Raven could feel the angst coming from Starfire. "You see, friend Raven. I was thinking. What if we successfully get Terra back? What then? Beast Boy was the only one who ever returned my feelings, or even showed he cared."

"But, didn't Robin ever—"

"No." Starfire firmly said before grabbing another tissue. "He never returned my feelings."

"Starfire. I—" Raven looked at Starfire as she dabbed the tissue at her silent tears.

"No, friend Raven. Do not feel sorry for me. I do not deserve it." SNIFFFFFFLE.

"Star? What _are _you talking about? You deserve to be happy. To be held, to be joyful. _I _am the one not deserving them." Raven tried to reason with her best friend, but did not expect Starfire's response.

"Then why do you have them?"

Raven's eyes widened in shock and realization. "This is the real issue, isn't it, Star? You want to have a familiar relationship to mine." _So this is why she chose to come to me._

"And you must help me do this, friend! I am not familiar with your Earthen ways. I sometimes feel so alienated. All I want is to be loved and adored. But there is no other Tamaranean on this planet . . . So what do I do, Friend Raven?"

"At first, Chris and I didn't click, we just had a first meeting and found out that there was a lot we had in common. We didn't take the initiative to meet again, but fate seemed to have it in for us. And then it kept like that, one more strange, unexpected meeting until we finally found that we did click." Raven explained to Starfire as she folded her hands in her lap.

"Click?" Starfire asked in bewilderment.

Raven sighed and wondered how else to explain Chris's and her relationship. "We just got together really well. We just. . ." She exhaled. ". . ._went_ together."

"I do not under the stand. Please forgive me. I still do not perceive all of your Earthen sayings."

"Chris and I. . ." Raven looked down at her lap before speaking. "We have both been through a lot, so we understand each other more than let's say. . . Goth could. Goth is a good friend, but he can only sympathize, however Chris can _empathize_."

"Empathize? Like empath?"

"Yes! Just like I can literally feel others' emotions, such as pain, others can also empathize or know what it feels like to have that pain." _This isn't getting to her. . . _"Starfire?"

"Yes, Friend Raven?"

"Have you ever got a cut on your finger or a bruise?"

"Yes! I have has the cut of paper before. Such a wretched thing those books are!"

"Well, someone who could empathize would be someone who has also had a papercut; someone who has also felt that pain at one time or another."

"Oh! I think I under the stand, now."

"And that's how Chris is with me. We understand each other where other people can't. And because of that, we are able to have a very sturdy friendship. And maybe, one day, it will develop to more than that." Raven said in an almost, _almost_ dreamlike state._ Maybe one day he'll love me, too. . ._

"You mean— WAIT ONE GLORKNEB!"

Raven sat there with her eyebrow raised. _What just happened?_

"I simply adore this song." Starfire got up and walked — walked? — to the CD player and turned it up.

_You tell me you're in love with me  
Like you can't take your pretty eyes away from me  
It's not that I don't want to stay  
But every time you come too close I move away_

Raven could not think of anything other than the color blue. She remembered the first time he showed his eyes to her. She couldn't get the beauty out of her mind, and, frankly, didn't want to. He truly was a beautiful person.

_I wanna believe in everything you say  
'Cause it sounds so good  
But if you really want me, move slow  
There's things about me you just have to know_

She remembered when he first talked about the bond they shared with her. She knew everything about him, and yet, was too afraid to show him her truth. He told her that he would always be there for her. So when she was ready, he would listen. And he did.

_Sometimes I run  
Sometimes I hide  
Sometimes I'm scared of you  
But all I really want is to hold you tight _

Raven remembered when he had become Slade's apprentice. She was so afraid for him, and to some extent, _of_ him. But all she really wanted was to welcome him back as part of her family. The only family she had left, and the only family he had, as well. They were so similar in so many ways. It was only a matter of time before—

_NO! No, this is wrong!_

_Treat you right, be with you day and night  
Baby all I need is time _

_I don't love Robin! Not anymore._

_I don't wanna be so shy  
Every time that I'm alone I wonder why  
Hope that you will wait for me  
You'll see that you're the only one for me _

_Then. . . why can't I stop thinking about him? The way his hair looks in the rain, the lighting on his face when we watch the sun set and the moon rise, the feel of his hand on mine, his. . ._

_I wanna believe in everything that you say  
'Cause it sounds so good  
But if you really want me, move slow  
There's things about me you just have to know _

_No! No, no, no, no, no!! _

_Sometimes I run  
Sometimes I hide  
Sometimes I'm scared of you  
But all I really want is to hold you tight  
Treat you right, be with you day and night _

_Stop it! Stop thinking about him!_

_But all I really want is to hold you tight  
Treat you right, be with you day and night  
Baby, all I need is time_

_Why? Why must I be tortured like this? Does fate hate me _that_ much? _

_Just hang around and you'll see  
There's nowhere I'd rather be  
If you love me, trust in me  
The way that I trust in you _

_Does _he_ hate me, now? _

_Sometimes I run  
Sometimes I hide  
Sometimes I'm scared of you  
But all I really want is to hold you tight  
Treat you right, be with you day and night _

_No! This isn't right! I am seeing Chris, now. He should be the one I can't stop thinking about. Not Robin. It was never Robin. . ._

_Sometimes I run  
Sometimes I hide  
Sometimes I'm scared of you  
But all I really want is to hold you tight  
Treat you right, be with you day and night _

"Friend Raven?" Starfire looked at her friend with concern. "Is something the wrong with you? Has the Britney that Spears upsetted you?" But it was futile. Raven was someplace far away. And as the CD went to the next track, and the next, she still sat there with her head in her hands and eyes widened.

"Friend Raven?" Starfire tried to get her friend's attention.

"Are you there?" Starfire asked her.

"Friend Raven?" She tried again.

"Friend Raven, you are most scaring me!" After the CD had ended and Starfire had been scared witless, she did the only thing she could think of. She screamed. And, with Cyborg and Beast Boy on an errand that involved Mega Monkeys and the GameStation, that left only Robin to react.

In only a few seconds he was pounding on Starfire's door. "Star?! Are you alright?"

"Friend Robin! It is most horrible. You must help her!" Starfire said in panic.

_Her?_ "Raven is in there?" Robin asked.

"Yes! And I fear I do not know what to do to—" Robin opened the door, "—aid—" and before Star could finish her sentence, he had Raven in his arms and was checking her vitals. "—her?"

After a minute or two, Robin spoke. "Her vitals are normal. . . I don't know what is the matter with her. Star?" He asked the teary-eyed girl.

"Yes?"

"Why is she in your room?" He asked suspiciously.

"I asked Friend Raven to help me with a problem of the heart. Will she be alright, Friend Robin?" She waited while Robin considered his answer. "Did I cause this? Is this my fault?"

"I don't know, Star. I think she is in something like a meditative state. I don't think it is anything serious, but I also don't want to leave her like this."

"What can we do?" What could he do? How could he save her? All different thoughts and possibilities ran through his head at top speed.

"We need to shock her back into reality." He said when he came to a conclusion and before Starfire could say or do anything, Robin kissed her.

Raven gasped as tears flowed over the rims of her eyes. She was back in the present, no longer trapped in her mind, but how? Raven blinked once, then twice. Why was Robin so close to her face? _He didn't! . . .did he?_

_SLAP!_ Robin held the side of his face as she disappeared from the room in black mist. "So _this_ is the thanks I get for bringing her back? Why do I even bother?!" But that was stupid question. One that he already knew the answer to. _Because I love her. . ._

—Fin—

A/N: Okay, okay. This sucked BIG TIME. But the next one I have is done and I like it a lot. Took me literally forever and plagued me until I got it done. This one was one of the first ones I wrote when I was writing out what would happen in this storyline. Yes, I have it all plotted out. I just have to write it. Anyway. I only wrote about half of this and stopped for some unknown reason. So I don't really know where I was going with this so I just made it up! XP

Signed,  
Her Sappiness


	12. Face

Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans; only this character and this plot.

Amongst the Quiet  
—Face—  
TWELVE

Face. Your face. My face. We all have a face. But how do you use it? Does it mirror your emotions? Does it show your surprise, your shock, your disappointment, your anger? Or does it show nothing at all? You would be surprised at how many people use their face to their advantage. They put their mask on in the morning, and sometimes never even take it off at night.

People use their face in order to deceive others. You've done it, too. I know you have. It may not seem so at the time, but you have actually _lied_ to that person or people you just tricked. Sometimes, we do so more to the people we love than others who we hate. Is it to protect them — or maybe to protect ourselves from something? Do we feign interest in someone's affairs and lie to them _because_ we love them? But isn't lying bad? We have been taught all our lives not to lie, not to deceive others, but at times. . . it seems bad _not_ to.

Is it a face. . . or is it a shield? Do you use your face as a shield against the world? It absorbs the shock, the pain, the agony of everyday life like a sponge, so you — the _real_ you — never has to hurt. Is it really a protection? Does the lie actually protect you? Or does it back you up into a corner? It does. You get backed into a corner and lie to protect the lie and then lie again to justify the lie. An endless stream of lies. . . and for what? Happiness? For you, perhaps? Just because of your face. It all leads back to your face.

Your face is where it begins; the foundation of all the lies. And once the ball starts rolling, it may never stop. Maybe it can't. Maybe it doesn't want to. Maybe _you_ don't want it to.

Then again, what if you don't shield yourself from the world. . . Instead, it's the exact opposite. You shield the world from your ugliness, your bareness of color, and your lack of soul. You set up layer after layer of brick walls to keep your true self barred away from people, from life. Is that a true way to live. . .or even a way to live at all? You can't breathe in the entrapment of that life. You can't see through the mask. And you finally suffocate into believing that's how you were in the beginning. You forgot your face. You forgot where it all began, _before_ it began. And now, your lies become your truths. And you die slowly without noticing that the mask becomes darker and darker until it ends up _black_.

And now. . . I have a something to admit. A confession of a sort. I have a mask. . . but it's slipping.

It's falling.

And now? Now it is broken. _You_ broke it. But will you ever know what you did— what you do— what you make me feel inside? Yes, you make me feel for the first time in literal forever. I feel like I am a _person_. Not just a 'thing', anymore. How you do these. . . _things_ to me I could never answer. I don't think you could truthfully, either.

All I know is that you cause me to use my face in ways I do not remember how to, though I am sure I once did. A new word comes up, one I thought lost a long time ago; sincerity. I can be _sincere_ with my face now. It's not about learning how to retrain your face maybe for better, maybe for not. It's about living and realizing that the lie is wrong. The lie is at fault and so is the mask. It's time to get rid of the mask, to crush and then burn it, and finally blow away the ashes.

But it hurts. The mask sticks like a second skin and almost refuses to un-merge with my face, my truth. I realize I have to separate all my truths from the falsehood of most of my life before my mask will go away. Before I can make it go away. I know I can't do it by myself.

So that's what it comes to. Will _you_ help me? _Can_ you help me? No, that's a stupid question. Of course you can help me. The right question is will you want to when all of this is over?

—Fin—

A/N: I finally finished this piece after struggling with it for so long. Argh, it was a good idea that plagued me for the longest time. Oh, well. The nightmare's over, now.

And btw, thanks Metal Storm for the pageviews! I know your purpose was to flame me, but it only made me snicker. XD

Signed,  
Her Sappiness


	13. BandAid

Disclaimer: Only Chris.

Amongst the Quiet  
—Band-Aid—  
THIRTEEN

He was being really quiet. He didn't seem at all focused on their date and she noticed. He was just. . . _different _today. Raven noticed Chris stirring the ice cream in his float with a straw. They were at a burger joint on the pier. It seemed romantic enough at the time, but all it had been was dull. Something was bothering him. It was obvious enough to anyone, but especially to Raven.

He wouldn't tell her. She knew that much. He believed in privacy above all things and she felt that while they knew each other well, they really didn't know each other at all. _What is going on with him? Why won't he tell me?_ She wondered as she dipped a fry in ketchup. _There's only one way to find out. . ._

Raven took a sip of cola before concentrating all her energy on Chris. _Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos._ She chanted her mantra in her head. Slowly, so he wouldn't notice, she would penetrate the barrier of his mind. Just for a glimpse. Only for a glimpse. Then she would leave.

Too bad it didn't work out as planned.

Raven didn't even get close to his mind because of wall after wall of barriers. There were no entrances for her to slip in. Was he always this guarded? She floated around looking for an inch of free space only to be pulled back to her body involuntarily.

"Wha—? What happened?" Raven clutched her head. Everything was spinning because she was pulled from her soul-self to her real body so fast. She concluded that Chris had sensed her presence and ejected her from his mind.

Chris took a tight hold of her wrist. "Raven, don't you _ever _try to pry into my mind again." He was very firm in stating this.

"What? Why not?" Raven, never seeing this side of him before, went into the defensive. She tried to take back her wrist but he wouldn't let go.

"Trust me in this, there are things in there that no person is meant to see." He averted his eyes to the floor and tightened his grasp before dropping it altogether.

"What about you?" She breathed, sensing the pain and sadness emitting from him. _What is going on with him? He's acting so strangely. . ._

"It doesn't matter." That was all he said. Nothing more, nothing less.

Chris tried to end the conversation with those three words, but Raven wouldn't let him. In fact, she was even more intrigued with what was bothering him. "And why doesn't it matter?" She knew she was on dangerous grounds regarding their relationship by continuing, but she knew she would regret it if she didn't. And she was trying to live life without any regrets.

"Because!" Chris erupted, having his fear and anguish turn to sudden anger. Raven looked at him with a face that demanded a further explanation. "Because_ I_ am not a person. I am just a _thing_." Raven held back the urge to gasp. This was nothing like what she had suspected. She had never thought that he would have viewed himself as such. Not Chris. Sure, he wasn't the happiest, easy-go-lucky person on the face of the Earth, but he _was _a person.

_Why would he say that? Why would he even think it? Where did that come from? _"Wh—"

Chris stopped her before she could finish one word. "I don't want your sympathy, Raven. No matter what you do or even attempt to do, nothing can change the cold, hard truth." He looked away again as he spoke.

"I don't understand . . ." She said. She looked down at her hands for a moment before looking back up at his hard eyes.

"Only another reason to never look behind my face. For a face is meant for looking, not for understanding. And definitely _not _for prying." He was still mad at her. She never would have even thought of looking into his mind if she had known this was to be the result.

She had to mend this. And she had to do this _now_, otherwise it might be too late for them. And she couldn't bear to think like that. "Look, Chris, I understand your—"

"No, Raven. You don't. You don't know how my life went. You don't know how I grew up. You don't know the pain I have always kept to myse—" Chris tried to go on only to be cut off by Raven.

"Pain is a strong emotion that wounds and scars sometimes permanently. But that doesn't mean it cannot heal. It may not look as pretty as what it was before, but it can still close over. All it needs is help." Raven looked around and sighed, "Don't you ever quote me on this, but . . . let me be your bandage. Sometimes you need additional support. Okay, that sounded totally wrong, but still. You get the message."

Chris looked up from his sullen self. "Raven, are you . . . stammering?"

"No! Of course not." She blurted out.

Chris almost laughed, _almost_. "Are you sure? It sounded pretty convincing." There was a tense pause where Raven wondered what would happen next. "And you know what?"

Raven let out a small groan. She knew exactly where this was going. "This does not sound good. What have I gotten myself into? Chris, whatever you are about to do, please _don't_. Just _don't_."

"Why?" He said with a devious smile and humor in his voice.

"Because I know whenever you use that tone," She started only to be stopped by Chris.

"What tone?" He innocently asked.

She raised her voice slightly as she continued to speak and pointed her finger at him. "THAT tone! The mischievous you-are-_so_-gonna-regret-this tone."

"Well, my dear Band-Aid, to compensate for all the times I have ever teased you, I shall escort you to the zoo, tomorrow." He told her in 'that tone'.

"Why in the world would I want to go to the zoo and what time?" She asked while trying not to smile. It wasn't working too well.

"How about I pick you up at—" She cut him off, even though he was talking in a serious tone.

"Hey! Tomorrow's Sunday, you little liar!" She knew he was up to something. And she was right. Chris just smirked as he placed money on the wooden table and stood up. He knew that she loved this. She loved to play no matter how deeply she hid that fact. She loved not to be the creepy, monotone, Goth that no one cared about, that no one appreciated. She, too, had a face. One that was hidden. But when she was with Chris, she lessened her defenses and took off her mask.

They started walking side by side down the boardwalk with their hands intertwined. Strangely, it was mostly deserted even though it was a Saturday. They walked in silence. Chris seemed to be in a better mood, but Raven was thinking about the little bit Chris had said and it worried her.

Raven stopped walking. Chris stopped, too at almost the same time. He lowered his head in what could have been interpreted as a sigh and then turned around to look at her.

Raven inhaled before speaking. "If you are a 'thing' then I guess that would classify me as one, too." She said out of the blue. Chris thought that he was prepared for anything she had to say, but he was wrong. He thought only he had that kind of negative thinking and immediately felt bad for putting it in her innocent heart, as well.

"No!" He said and took her other hand. "No, you are not, Raven. You were brought up in Azarath, you had loving monks take care of you, you had friends to help raise you. I was not blessed with such luck. I was not blessed at all. Besides, you can harbor emotion, even though little. It is still there. Genuine emotion. I am just amazed I am still here." _But He would have it no other way._ "You are human, Raven. I am nothing." He told her with his stormy blue eyes staring intently at her amethyst.

She was puzzled. "If I can have emotion, then why can you not?" Then it hit her. Chris had said 'genuine emotion'. _Genuine_. Does that mean what he showed was _not _genuine? He was faking it with her?

"Besides, Raven. You are worth more than all these humans put together. Just because you are _you_. I'll never have the _hope _of becoming as much as toe fungus compared to what you are worth. Well, see you later . . . Band-Aid." And at that, Chris dropped their hands and left Raven to her not-so-pleasant thoughts.

—Fin—

A/N: Some more into Chris' character. It's going to start to get good REALLY soon. All this is to prepare for the _real _action. Well, you know the drill. Review!!

Signed,  
Her Sappiness


	14. Different Cages

Disclaimer: Only the Yoru family, Tina, and Madame Chere's.

Amongst the Quiet  
—Different Cages—  
FOURTEEN

"I still can't believe I'm going to do this." Raven told Chris.

"Do you honestly think I want to do this, myself?" Chris responded. It was true. Chris felt very uneasy around his parents, and she knew it without asking. He let out little hints and clues about his parents and none of them seemed good. From what she heard they were your typical rich, arrogant snobs that thought they knew everything. After a while he relaxed and smiled. "Don't worry about my parents. What _I_ am worried about is how the Titans will accept me."

"Wow, now that I think about it, we really packed a lot into one day. . . Lunch with my team and dinner with your parents." Raven sighed and slouched on the park bench.

Chris noticed that she made no defense when it came to the Teen Titans. These were the people who helped her grow into the special and unique person she was today. These were people she trusted and admired. However, that admiration seemed to be slipping. _Am _I_ doing that? Am _I_ taking away one of her precious qualities?_ "And both will be stressful beyond all means." He added, showing no sign of his doubts.

Chris smiled, using his face like a mask to make her feel more at ease when he felt worse than she did. He was anxious. He had never been at ease with his parents. They felt like they had failed with him. He wasn't the happy child they had expected that loved to go on shopping sprees, was extremely popular, and would eventually take over the family business. In fact, he was anxious and hardly ever truly at ease, only went shopping when either Tina or Matthew dragged him to the store because of another growth spurt, had about five friends, and was always accompanied by doubts about whether or not he was the right person to take over the family business. He wasn't what they wanted. So, when Kira came along, they figured she was the same as him when she was actually everything they ever wanted and more. And Chris always hated them for not giving Kira a chance._ If only Kira had come first. . ._ He thought. _Things would be much better._

"Well," Chris stood up and offered a hand to Raven, "we better get going. Don't want to be late for our lunch date at the pizza parlor." He gave her a small, but sincere smile and she gave one back. _Good, she's feeling better. I'm glad I can give her something before it's too late. . . _"Seriously, is that the only place you guys eat out at?" He asked her and she laughed.

—

They arrived at Titans Tower soon thereafter. Chris was nervous about being introduced to her "family", but immediately reprimanded himself for it. _How can I even hope to defeat Him when I can't manage meeting new people without feeling like the world is going to end? _Chris almost laughed at his choice for words as he rang the doorbell. Raven held his hand and waited for the others to come meet them.

It didn't take long before Cyborg and Starfire both appeared at the door, both wanting to see this 'mystery man' first. For two months all they had heard from Raven was 'Chris this' and 'Chris that' whenever she opened up to them, which seemed to be happening more and more. She seemed like a new person. Like she was actually _happy_. Now it was time to see what all the raving had been about.

When the door opened, Cyborg and Starfire looked him up and down, making mental observations as they took in every detail. This made Chris nervous but he stood his ground and worked hard at looking 'normal'. Raven was upset that they were doing this and making a bad first impression. She fought to _not_ say anything.

Soon Beast Boy and a reluctant Robin came to the foyer where the couple was finally let in. As soon as all of the Titans were together, Starfire broke the awkward silence. "Friend Raven! It is glorious to see you and your boy that is a friend together at last!" Starfire floated over to Chris and hugged him tightly. To everyone's surprise, her alien strength didn't bother him in the least. After she let go, he held out his hand and shook hers. "You have a firm handshake, too. Exactly what I would expect from a Tamaranean."

"You know about my people?" Starfire looked at him with amazement.

Chris looked at his girlfriend. "I guess you could say I know a little from what Raven has told me."

"Wonderful! Friend Chris, be most welcomed to the Tower of Titans!" She exclaimed, immediately approving of Raven's choice. Chris smiled, happy that Raven's closest girlfriend liked him. _Maybe this won't be so bad. . ._

"So this is him, Rae?" Cyborg asked as he pulled Raven off to the side. She nodded her head to confirm it. "So, are you happy? Ya know. . . with him?"

"Of course! I feel like I am alive and can breathe when I'm with him. He makes me feel good about myself." She looked away from Cyborg's half-convinced face to where Chris was greeting Beast Boy. She began to whisper as she talked directly to her 'older brother'. "He does so much for me. . . I just wish I could give him something in return." She gave a sad smile knowing that she never would be able to repay him. He gave her a life. And all she had given him was trouble. She honestly didn't know why he put up with her, why he stayed with her, why he _liked_ her. _Are you alright, Rae? _He asked in her mind. _Can I start calling you Rae?_

She smiled. _Sure. And don't worry, I'm just fine._

"And you must be the leader, Robin." Chris held out his hand for Robin to take, but Robin didn't move. Chris retrieved his hand and smiled. _I wonder what Raven ever saw in him. He looks so. . . dark. _Chris thought with lack of a better word. Chris shrugged mentally. _But then again, so am I. . ._

Chris then compared and contrasted him and Robin._ He's about 5' 7" and I'm 5' 11". We both are still growing, so only Silas knows who'll be taller in the end. He has a shorter, messy slab of black hair while I have long, straight hair, but a darker shade of black. His skin is more peachy than anything else, while I am very pale. _Chris closed his eyes and concentrated on Robin. _His eyes are an aquamarine color, but more blue than green. _He opened his eyes and put on a small, but sad, smile. _My eyes are dark blue with a bit of gray. He beats me there. Though, I doubt anyone on his team has actually seen his eyes. We are both lean, but muscular. I have to admit I do have better fashion sense. Seriously, a traffic light? _His sad smile turned into more of a smirk, but only slightly._ He is incredibly competitive while I give up too easily. Man, I could be doing this all day. . ._

"Oh, Chris." Raven walked right past Robin like he wasn't even there. "I'm going to change into my uniform. I'll be down in a few minutes and then we can go to the pizza parlor." _Things have been rocky in the Tower because of their ex-relationship._ _So that's why she originally didn't want to meet for lunch. . . _Chris analyzed the birds' interaction, or lack thereof.

Chris smiled at Raven. "Sounds good, Rae."

The other four Titans froze right as Raven teleported through the ceiling to her own room. "Rae?!" Cyborg and Robin said unanimously. _She let him call her 'Rae'? _

"Now listen here." Robin pointed his finger in his Chris's chest and looked up at his face, Robin being the shorter one. "I don't know who you think you are, but only people close to Raven can call her that!" Robin narrowed his eyes at Chris.

Chris was clearly unintimidated. "So, you are telling me I need a membership of some sort to call my girlfriend by her nickname?" He mockingly asked Robin, which only made him fume more.

"Please do not do the fighting, friends!" Starfire stepped in before Robin could say anything more. She was trying to stop the fighting before it got serious. "Friend Raven did not do the protesting, correct? She allowed Friend Chris to call her the nick of names."

Robin backed off, but not much. "I'll be watching you. . ." Chris didn't offer any verbal response, but nodded instead. Another awkward silence ensued for a few minutes while they waited for Raven to change.

Chris looked over to the elevator where it opened to reveal Raven in her uniform. "Did I miss something?" She asked noticing the tense aura of everyone.

"Nothing important." Chris said and offered her his arm. She took it with a smile and they walked out to the garage with the other four trailing behind._ This will be interesting. _Chris thought as he piled in the T-Car. _At least Robin is taking the R-Cycle._

—

"I would like to order a large non-dairy, tofu pizza with carrot sticks on the side." Beast Boy said when the waiter came to take their order.

"Yes, he would like to," Chris butted in, "but he won't." Beast Boy looked at him in absolute horror as the waiter crossed out the order. "I'm sorry man, but that's just not normal." All the other Titans laughed at that. All except for Robin, of course. He didn't laugh, anymore. He also never smiled and hardly ever talked.

"Then what am I going to eat?!" Beast Boy asked in desperation.

"Oh, Lord! Here they go again." The waiter said as he rolled his eyes. "Hey, I'm going to be servicing some other tables, so come get me when you've reached a decision in half an hour." The waiter walked off to his other tables.

"Does it really take you guys _that_ long?" Chris was astonished. _How quarrelsome could they be when it comes to food?_

"Why, you hungry?" Robin asked, clearly amused.

"That's enough, Robin!" Raven said as she stood up, obviously angered by his comment.

"Don't worry about it, Rae." Chris told her and she felt the anger dissipate from within her. She closed her eyes and sat back down next to her boyfriend. "He doesn't matter." He added as an afterthought to help keep her calm.

"Yes, you're right. He _doesn't_." Raven agreed and opened her eyes.

Chris saw Robin scowl and narrow his eyes in his peripheral vision, but he felt no joy in putting him down. It wasn't like him to say such things. Chris closed his own eyes to keep his anger in check in case something would be destroyed. Even though these were Raven's teammates and friends, he didn't want his secret exposed. . . yet. It would happen; that was a certainty and Chris knew it. He just didn't want to endanger any of them, though most likely they would be, anyway.

"Now who's ready to eat?" Chris asked in a cheerful manner to bring up the somber people around him. "I propose two large pizzas; one pepperoni, the other cheese. You can have cheese, right, Beast Boy? Or are you vegan?" Beast Boy solemnly nodded his head to confirm his vegan state. It was likely that there would be nothing for him to eat here. "Then I'll split a medium dairy-free pizza with you. I've never tried it before."

Beast Boy's pointy ears perked up upon hearing that. "Dude, you are totally _awesome_!"

And, for everyone but Robin, the rest just went by fast because of so much fun. Raven and Chris both wanted it to last, and not go to dinner. But that was irrational and unrealistic thinking. _If only Raven could stop time, again. . . _Chris thought while they left in the T-Car for Titans Tower.

—

Once they had arrived at Titans Tower, Robin immediately secluded to his room. He didn't want to be anywhere near Raven's new '_toy_friend'. Because, in Robin's mind, he believed that she was just using him and that she did not love him. So, he wouldn't be called a 'boyfriend' and he would definitely not be referred to by his name. Raven only loved _him_, the Boy Wonder. . . or Boy Blunder as she used to affectionately call him. He missed talking to her; spending time with her. But that was becoming less frequent with every day that passed. And if they were together, she made sure they weren't alone, _ever_. What was so special about this guy? He wasn't a super hero, and being attached to him could put her secret identity at risk and put her in danger if he was ever kidnapped by some super villain. Didn't she realize that? This was dangerous. . . not just for her, but him as well.

Robin sighed as he laid down on his bed with his hands supporting the back of his head. _Why does my life always have to be so difficult?_ He wondered and thought back throughout his life at all the hardships he has had to overcome. This one, however, seemed to be the hardest of them all. There was always something or someone else that came along to fill that hole in his heart. But this time? Nothing could ever replace Raven. Not in a million years, or even eternity. There would never be anyone else like her.

And Robin became more and more depressed with each thought that entered his mind, making him spiral downward even farther.

—

After spending two or three hours with the Titans, mainly Chris playing the GameStation alongside Beast Boy and Cyborg (with Starfire on one side of the boys and Raven on the other next to Chris), he announced it was time for Raven and him to go. The other Titans protested because, all-in-all, they liked Chris. He might not be the most hyperactive, happy guy, but he was pleasant to be around, made you feel relaxed by just being in his presence, and was "cool" without being annoying or snobbish. He had a good vibe around him that one did not need to be empathic to feel. They only wished they could see him more often other than hearing third person accounts, but. . . with Robin the way he was, it didn't seem like a good idea.

All of the Titans (except Robin) said their goodbyes to Chris and Raven (who was now in her civvies). Starfire's goodbye was tearful as she hugged Chris, again. Still, to everyone's shock, her super-strength didn't seem to phase him just like when he arrived. Raven labeled this as "officially weird" and made a mental note to investigate his powers, further.

"Now, Rae." Cyborg walked over to both her and Chris. "You need to be home by 11:30 tonight, alright?" She nodded her head in acknowledgment. "And Chris, be a gentlemen and make sure she makes it home safe, _you got it_?" Cyborg had a more authoritive voice when talking to Chris, and less forgiving although he was quite fond of him.

"Don't worry about it. I'll drive her home, myself if I have to." Chris said with a smile and when he grasped Raven's hand, she smiled, too. "Are you ready to see Kira, again?" He asked as he turned his head to look at her.

"Of course! I'm always glad to see her." Raven replied with enthusiasm. _I guess it is hard for even strangers to _not_ adore her._ _I wish I had received that gift. . ._ Chris thought as they walked out the door of Titans Tower. They stopped after a few steps and turned to each other. After shortly waving to the three Titans in the doorway, Raven transported both Chris and herself to one of the back doors of Yoru Manor's East Wing.

—

The twosome walked in through the servants' door to the larger apartments where Chris, Kira, and Tina lived. Going down the ridiculously long hallway, they stopped a few doors short of Kira's room. "You can get changed in here." Chris told her as he opened the door. Raven walked in first after looking at him strangely. _Changed? _She finally met a King-sized bed in the middle of the room.On the bed was the most gorgeous evening gown she had ever seen. It was a V-neck halter with a thick black ribbon around her waist that tied into a bow in the back. It was form-fitting from the top going down to the knees where it fluffed out. It was a wine red color, almost purple, and had matching sandals with a chunky two inch heel to go with it. "I hope you like it." Chris said with a small blush on his cheeks from a bit of embarrassment.

"It's beautiful." Was all Raven could say.

"Thanks." Came a voice from the hallway. "I thought that would look good on you." Chris and Raven both turned around to find Tina in the doorway. She was wearing a strapless gown that had many petticoats to maintain the fluffiness from the waist down and a black ribbon that tied into a bow on her left side. It also was a wine red color. Her hair was pulled up into a bun with random curls dangling down and she wore black eyeliner with red eyeshadow accompanied with dark red lipstick.

"How's Kira coming along?" Chris asked Tina.

"Don't worry about Kira." Tina reassured. "She's being a little angel and will be ready in time. It's _her_ I'm worried about." She said pointing to Raven. "I don't know if I'll have enough time to finish her before the limo arrives, and you know how you're parents are about being on time."

"What do you mean 'finish me'?" Raven wasn't liking the way this conversation was heading.

"Oh, Tina is going to do your hair and makeup." Raven's mouth dropped. _Hair? Makeup? ME?!_ Chris continued, "Now you better get dressed. If you need any help, ask Tina." Raven could sense all the stress Chris was experiencing and realized for the first time how much pressure was being put on him as the oldest.

"Oh, Chris. Go get changed for Heaven's sake! You'll make us even more late." Tina said a little impatiently. Chris nodded to her and left the room to go to his own. After the two girls had heard Chris close his door down the hall, Tina closed the door behind her, leaving her alone with Raven.

"I know what you're thinking." Tina said. "I may not like you, but I'm not so petty that I'd personally seek revenge. So don't worry, I won't make you look hideous." Raven wasn't sure if she was lying or not. "But don't get me wrong; I'm doing this for Chris. I would never want to make him look bad. Not even in front of people he despises. Now get in that dress, or I'll put it on you, myself." Tina told her with false pleasantness that sent shivers down Raven's back.

Raven narrowed her eyes at her and turned to undress, unzip the dress, and then carefully put it on. Raven was amazed that it fit perfectly. Tina zipped up the back and straightened it out. She then tied the corset back that went over the zipper. "Put the shoes on." Tina commanded in an almost monotone voice. Raven did so after grumbling something incoherent. "Let's go. I need to finish you up and Kira, too."

After repeating 'I'm doing this for Chris' several times in her mind, Raven followed Tina (rather wobbly) out of the room and down the hallway to another door. Tina opened it and gestured for Raven to enter. Raven entered the large lit-up apartment and immediately saw Kira in a dress that matched the color of Tina's and her own. It had small black roses dotting the neckline and black rose petals inside the outer layer of sheer cloth. Her hair was currently in curlers as she sat in front of a large vanity with three tall mirrors.

Raven walked closer to the vanity and saw foundation, eyeliner, eye shadow, mascara, lip gloss, lipstick (and other products she could not identify) sorted by color in large drawers that pulled out of the vanity. "Miss Raven!" Kira giggled and Raven couldn't help but smile. "It's so good to see you, again! I missed you last time you were here because I was at school. But we'll have a good time, tonight, right?" Kira looked up at Raven from where she was sitting and smiled with her whole body.

"Of course we will." Raven replied and started to believe it._ As long as Chris and Kira are by my side, who cares who else is there!_

"Raven would you please sit down on the love seat and be careful to not wrinkle that dress, I'll be done with Kira in a moment." Tina guided Raven to the love seat and walked over to Kira. "Let's finish you, Sweetie." Tina smiled a very loving smile at Kira, one Raven had never seen before, and Kira nodded her head, also smiling.

Tina grabbed a small brush and pale pink eyeshadow. "Close your eyes, Sweetie." Kira did so and Tina lightly applied the eyeshadow and then a thin line of pewter eyeliner around her eyes. "You can open your eyes, now." Tina told her before applying lip gloss and a pink lipstick. "I'm going to take out your curlers, 'kay?" Kira nodded, again. Tina carefully took out the curlers from Kira's long, black hair and put them away. With a comb she took the raw curls and put the top half in a ponytail and tied a black ribbon into a bow around the ponytail. She pinned up the other raw curls so that they drifted down around her head. "Okay, Sweetie; it's Raven's turn. So go sit down on the love seat and put on your shoes, alright?"

"Okay!" Kira said and skipped over to Raven. "It's your turn, Miss Raven." She said as she held Raven's hand.

"Okay." Raven smiled, again and stood up a little shakily in the high heels.

"We don't have all day, Raven, in case you haven't noticed." Tina said as she pointed to the chair in front of the vanity. "In other words; hurry it up." She said in frustration. If they were late. . .

"I'm coming, if a bit slowly. It's not my fault you picked out shoes that are impossible to walk in." Raven said while slowly walking the distance she could've done in four seconds without the shoes.

"Hmm, really? You think those are hard to walk in; try these." Tina lifted up her skirt a little bit so Raven could see the four inch stilettos she was wearing. "Now get over here so I can finish you in the twenty minutes we have until the limo arrives." She said impatiently.

"I'm coming!" Raven said and finally made it to the chair. Tina grabbed her curler, plugged it in, and turned it on 'hi'.

"Let's start with your makeup while that heats up." She told Raven and picked out a foundation, powder, blush, eyeshadow, eyeliner, and then lipstick. After applying them, Tina curled Raven's purple hair in ringlets. "Okay. We have about four minutes to get to the front door. Raven: take off those shoes and put them back on in the limo. And on the count of three: run." Tina opened the door to her room as Kira helped Raven get one of her shoes off. The two of them power walked over to Tina and, at the signal, they ran.

—

The three girls made it to the front door where Chris was waiting soon enough. Raven thought that he looked like a whole different person. His hair was in a ponytail at the nape of his neck, but had a few tendrils of black hair to frame his face. He wore a black tuxedo with a vest and bow tie the same color as the girls' dresses. _I'm sensing a theme here. . ._ Raven thought humorously. He looked so different. He usually dressed and looked so casual, but now? You could definitely tell he had a good upbringing and looked almost noble. With just a change of clothes, he changed identities. And still, she could tell he was nervous about this dinner with his parents. _But why is he so tense, now? Doesn't he see his parents on a daily basis?_

"Chris. . . Keep worrying like that and all your hair will fall out." Tina told him seriously and he smiled at her, but not in humor. It took a few moments, but Raven realized the underlying message in her words. _Everything will be okay._ She wished _she_ could speak to him like that and make all his worries go away. He did seem more at ease from Tina's words. _What kind of relationship have these two had in the past? _Raven wondered._ They seem to be more than siblings, but definitely less than lovers._ She bit her lip and put up mental blocks when Chris glanced her way in concern.

Kira seemed to notice the tense aura coming from Raven and Chris, or at least recognized the signs from previous experience, and stood in-between them so she could hold both of their hands._ I guess this is her way of showing comfort._ Raven thought as the stretch limo arrived. "Chris, where are your parents? I thought they were coming with us. . ."

There was a heavy pause before he spoke. ". . .no. They are probably on their way to the restaurant right now. They had a business meeting with some associates and their wives. Besides, they never are home this time of day and they never ride with us. We're too _childish_ for their tastes." Chris said with hard eyes as he helped the three girls into the limo. Tina seemed to hang her head as she sat down. _What was life like for them growing up? Did Chris and Kira's parents treat them really badly. . . or maybe didn't handle them at all. Is that why they treat Kira so lovingly? So she won't get hurt like Chris and Tina were?_

Raven thought about it. Maybe that's why at times Chris seemed a bit awkward, at loss for words, and too quiet. He never had role models to show or even tell him how to grow up. Instead, he ended up being the model for Tina and eventually Kira. He doesn't want to make a mistake, so he analyzes every aspect of the situation and he hates being wrong or hurting someone. He doesn't want to repeat the mistakes his parents made.

Chris closed the door of the limo and buckled Kira with the only seatbelt in the limo besides the driver's. He would never forgive himself if she died in an accident. And, in an uncomfortable silence, they were off.

—

They arrived at Madame Chere's around fifteen minutes later (which was too soon for all of them) and got out of the stretch limo. They were ushered by a man in a rather fine suit to a back room in the restaurant, where they would completely and utterly alone with Mr. and Mrs. Yoru. And Raven was just beginning to realize how horrid that was for her other three companions. They tried not to show it, to smile instead, but were failing horribly.

As they were ushered into the room she spotted them. They were dressed in complete black. Even Mr. Yoru's shirt under his suit jacket was black. And the clothes they were wearing made Raven feel overdressed. "Sit down for Heaven's sake!" Mr. Yoru said in a tired manner as he closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose like Chris would time to time. "You are of no use standing up." Raven could tell that they both were relatively young for having a nineteen-year-old. Maybe late thirties, early forties. However, Mr. Yoru's face, as handsome and young as it was, looked stern from his stoic facial expression. She also noted that the only way Chris and his father looked alike was their jet black hair._ Is his mother his human parent? _But Chris didn't look like his mother, either. He looked like he didn't belong in this family, period.

"Yes, Sir. We're very sorry we have displeased you." Chris politely said to his father, even though his expression and face were both stoic. He didn't want to be here. He didn't want to face his parents. He doesn't like conflict. He also doesn't like to be treated poorly. Especially by the people who were supposed to love him the most.

The four sat down. Chris to the right of his father. Next to him, Raven, then Tina, Kira, and their mother to the left of Mr. Yoru. "So, Christian, what is this girl's name. Or have you completely forgotten what the word 'polite' means?" Mrs. Yoru, though beautiful beyond compare, and the one who Kira got her looks after, was a spiteful woman who detested more things than she approved of.

"Excuse me for my impoliteness, Mother." She gave a small nod while looking at the dinner menu as Chris talked. "Her name is Raven Roth. And we have been seeing each other for the past two months." He explained but was cut off by his mother before he could say anymore.

"You know I hate gold diggers, Christian." Mrs. Yoru started as if Raven wasn't there. "And I hate dyed hair and color contacts even more." _It's my natural color!_ "You poorly chose a girl. I hope you break up soon and reconsider Tina. We did bring her inside our home and decided to raise her for a reason, you know. Besides, this 'Roth' girl looks too young for you. Listen to your mother and dump her before she gets even more attached to living the good life." Raven looked at Chris in outrage. How dare this woman talk about her that way!

Chris took her hand and she felt the bundles of hatred for this woman almost completely disappear. _Almost_. "Mother, I deeply respect your honest opinion, so please respect mine in return. Raven and I are just starting out. We haven't known each other for very long, but we care for each other, and we want to be with each other. So please grant us your favor." Raven had never heard Chris talk like that before. It was so formal and it sounded like he was pleading. Did he feel so intimidated by these people that he changed his whole demeanor around them? Or maybe all he wanted was to be taken seriously? Raven didn't know, but she did not like that Chris had to act in front of these people and had to plead for their favor or approval. Why couldn't they just love Chris for who he was? It was insane. What parents!

"Christian." Mr. Yoru said his name in a placid tone before continuing. "You should listen to your mother. We need someone who can contribute to the business. Someone with attributes that would help expand your great-grandfather's company rather than a gold digger who will divorce you in ten years and take half of it with her." Raven looked at Chris with a 'did he just say that?' facial expression and Chris couldn't meet her eyes in embarrassment. He knew this would happen. That's just how his parents were. He was lying when he said he wasn't worried about his parents. He knew it would be Hell and that there would no words at all that would persuade them to act acceptably.

"She wouldn't do that." Chris said.

"How do you know? You yourself said you haven't known each other long. How do you know that she isn't hiding something from you?" Mr. Yoru countered.

"I know because I love her." Chris said with many emotions about to boil over into his words. But Chris stayed as neutral as he could. Once he spoke the word 'love', Raven looked at him in shock. Did he really love her, or was he just trying to prove a point? She hoped it was the former, even though she wasn't sure if she loved him back, yet, or not. Then Chris did something very unexpected to everyone at the table. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have better things to do than listen to your disapprovals." He stood up and grabbed Raven and Kira's hands and nodded at Tina that they were leaving.

Tina got up and bowed to them before leaving after the other three. "Please excuse us."

—

"I'm sorry you had to take that, Rae." Chris apologized as soon as they were out of the restaurant. "But that's just the way they are. They always have been like that. _Always_."

"So what are we going to do now, Chris?" Tina asked. "I'm hungry and we can't exactly stop at Mickey D's dressed as we are without raising suspicion." She had a point. Where were they going to go?

"Well, do you want to stop back at the house? Mother and Father won't be back for a few hours, knowing them. We can eat there after getting out of these terribly itchy outfits." Chris undid the top few buttons of his shirt.

"You never were comfortable in anything but casual clothing, weren't you?" Tina asked and Chris laughed.

"I guess you're right." He said and Raven all of a sudden felt very out of place. She didn't know little things about him like Tina did. Was she really a bad match for him like his parents insisted? She wished she had met him sooner. That way they really would be close like Tina, Chris, and Kira were. They were a _family_. Something she never really had. "Hey, Rae? Cheer up. We are out of that place and I don't think we'll see them anytime soon."

"Huh? Why is that?" Raven finally got the courage to ask the question that had been plaguing her mind. "I thought normal parents saw their kids daily. . ."

"Yeah, _normal_ parents do. But my parents are far from 'normal', in case you haven't noticed. Though we live in the same house, they live in the opposite wing of us and even have a different dining area, drawing room, library, guest rooms, etc. It's almost like two houses in one." Chris paused to let it sink in. "We're lucky if we see them once a week." He added almost morbidly.

Raven realized how much it affected them by the look on Kira's face._ They never gave their little girl a chance, did they? _"Let's go." Raven said and smiled, trying to lift the somber mood that had fallen upon them.

"Sure. Let's." Chris smiled back and they left in attempt to forget the ugly scene that had happened only minutes before. They did end up going to Yoru Manor to change, eat, goof off, play with Kira, and then Chris dropped her off at five minutes before 11:30 at Titans Tower.

All in all, the day wasn't so bad. Of course, things happened that they hoped they would never have to experience again. But it wasn't like the end of the world or anything, right?

—Fin—

A/N: Yes! I am finally done with this chappie!! I'm sorry that it took so long, but I wrote it in bits and pieces (plus I just could not write anymore fashion crap when it came to Raven's makeover, so I'm sorry about that). . . and I realize some of it was really, REALLY boring and it was incredibly long and then this site wouldn't let me upload the document for the longest time! So again: I am sorry!! Well, 'till next chapter.

Signed,  
Her Sappiness


	15. Home?

**Okay, everyone please make sure you read chapter fourteen. This one is a shortie, so I apologize for that.**  
Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans.

Amongst the Quiet  
—Home?—  
FIFTEEN

What exactly is a home? Is it the place where you rest? The roof over your head? A place where you feel comfortable? Maybe it's with your friends, or even what they say; "home is where the heart is". They are all possible answers to the question, but, like an equation, are some right and others not? Or maybe there isn't a real answer to the question. So then, would all of the answers wrong or irrelevant? I think even a dictionary defining the term "home" would not answer the question.

Another question. . . Does everyone have a home? Even if they live somewhere, is it automatically their "home"? And, what about the homeless? Does that mean that just because they don't have a stable structure to live in, they don't have a 'home'? What if they feel comfortable somewhere, is that their home, even if they don't live there or if it isn't a roof over their head? And don't the homeless have friends, family, and their very own heart? This is so confusing. . .

I may have material riches and live in a manor, but I don't think that I truly have a home. I don't feel comfortable in this house. I never have. It always has a cold and cruel atmosphere no matter where you go. And it is never warm or inviting even with all the fireplaces lit and the lights on. The servants and assistants are nice and polite, but never _caring_. It's like everything that house touches it destroys and sucks away the good qualities of whatever it once was. I hate this house. Yes, it has even touched me. But it isn't like I was all too positive to begin with. . .

And then another thought floats to the surface. Maybe home is a place each and everyone of us has to find for ourselves. Some of us may never find that home, but I would like to believe that most do. I would like to find a home. Do you think it could be _in_ a single person? Maybe, just maybe, Raven is that home that I'm looking for. It's too bad she came too late. I wish I could have been able to enjoy her for just a little longer. . . And I hate to hurt her, but she won't back off even if I asked her to. She's stubborn, but I love that about her. I love her. I never thought that there would be a day I could actually say that about a person.

But why now? Why am I having such thoughts _now_? It's a question I've been thinking about constantly ever since I was at Titans Tower. So, about a month of torment. Maybe it is because I have never thought about things like this and I want to before everything it is all over_ for good_. Goodbye, my Raven. I love you, and I hope you will happy wherever you may go from here. Just remember, that you will always be loved. Even after you are old and gray, and even after your death. I will still love you throughout my long life.

I _will_ love you, even if it's the only thing I will ever feel from now on.

—Fin—

A/N: Sorry, again, for the shortie. :'( Next chapter is the beginning of what I've been leading up to this entire time. It's all about Chris' past catching up to him. You'll meet new characters and learn why Chris doesn't look like any of his family members. Just wait! It'll be really cool (I hope).

Signed,  
Her Sappiness


	16. Cafe da le Creme

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans in any way, shape, or form. . . (Except the action figures) Though I do own the Café da le Creme coffee shop - Thought that an awesome name - and Chris.

**NOTE: IF YOU HAVE NOT READ "DIFFERENT CAGES" (14) AND "HOME?" (15), PLEASE READ THEM NOW. **

Amongst the Quiet  
—Café da le Creme—  
SIXTEEN

It hadn't been a great date. Ever since the "dinner" a month ago with Mr. and Mrs. Yoru, Chris had seemed withdrawn and quiet, but also ashamed for his parents' hideous behavior. Raven could feel all the emotions coming from him and realized he was under a lot of stress. Did he think she would leave him because of something someone else did? Didn't he realize that she was so happy the way he faced his fears and stood up for her? Why couldn't he see that she appreciated him the way he was? She just wished he would be his normal self again. However, that was wishful thinking. After all, she had no idea how things were at home for him. She hadn't gone back to his house since that night and had not seen any of Chris' friends or even Kira. What was going on?

"Hey, Rae." Chris stopped Raven by a tug on her sleeve and turned her around before she left his grasping range. "Can I ask you something?" He asked very calmly and made it seem as if it was a simple little question, but Raven could feel his nervousness eating him up inside.

"Sure, fire away." She said with a small smile. They seemed to be popping up more and more. Especially when she was with him.

Chris put his hands in his pockets and shrugged slightly to make it seem no big deal, especially when he knew she could feel his inner emotions. "Can you come to the Café da le Creme coffee shop tomorrow at noon?" Chris mentally slapped himself because of the hint of eagerness showing through his words.

"Sure," she answered, "but we can get some now if you want some. . ." Raven trailed off leaving the suggestion open. Chris didn't usually make plans for a date so close to the appointed day, and especially at a café. What was he thinking?

"No, I don't want some. It is just. . . that. . ." Chris began to stutter in embarrassment and finally decided he would just shut up before he said something really stupid. He closed his eyes and started rubbing the bridge of his nose.

Raven, who swore she would never again read his mind, demanded an explanation by crossing her arms in front of her body and tapping her foot. Yeah, like that would hurry him up. "Just what?" She asked of him.

Chris opened his eyes and looked away from her amethyst, instead staring at a spot on the ground. Why couldn't he just do this? Why did he always have to screw things up when he was with her? Chris took a long breath before he said anything. "I am singing there tomorrow, and I want you to come to see me, and besides, they have the best coffee from here to Gotham." He spat it all out in one breath and impatiently waited for her response.

"Feel better, now?" She mocked the part of a concerned mother, but his uneasiness didn't fade away at that comment. She could still feel it bundled up. "Hmm. . . I'll have to think about it." She said with a sly smile starting to creep upon her face.

Chris finally relaxed and smiled for the first time on their date, today. "Great, I'll see you there." He said with an almost expressionless voice, but when she looked into his stormy blue eyes, all she could see was warmth, appreciation, and relief.

"'Kay, you leaving?" Raven could still feel his wave of emotions. They were all antsy— with anticipation of their next date, maybe? Or was it something else? Raven couldn't tell. She would most likely find out tomorrow.

Chris nodded his head. "Yeah, I had some very important stuff going on, but I wanted to invite you, so I decided to ditch for a while." He winked at her as he continued, "I have to go, now. So I'll talk— err— _sing _to you tomorrow. Make sure you come. Ciao, Raven." He started to walk backwards as he waved to Raven and flashed one of his rare sincere, if secretive, smiles.

"Ciao, Chris." Raven whispered as she waved back before he turned around.

—

The next day came swiftly and before Raven knew it, it was past noon; the time they were supposed to meet. "Great, I am going to be late. . . he'll be reeeaaal happy 'bout that." Raven said as she flew hastily to the coffee shop.

Once in the door, she was nearly blown away by the applause ringing throughout the little shop. And there he was; once she saw him she stared stupidly, with her breath caught in her throat. "Excuse me, Miss, but would you please take a seat? We'll serve you as soon as possible," Raven stared a heartbeat longer then followed the waitress's gestured arms to a small table for two. "Thank you."

Once seated, she stared at him, _Chris_, again. She could barely believe it was him. When she met with him the day before he was his normal self. Clad in dark denim jeans, white tee, and a long leather jacket hanging to just above his knees; he was in normal, everyday clothes.

But _now _he was in a very tight dark blue muscle shirt, the same stormy blue as his eyes and baggy pants with a gazillion pockets that seemed a shade darker than pitch black, the same as his hair. Raven noticed that his long hair was mostly pulled back in to a loose ponytail at the nape of his neck, leaving a few strands to hang loose to frame his face. Looking over him, Raven noticed just _how _muscular he really was. He wasn't bulky, but definitely had a more defined physique than Robin.

Raven snapped out of her reverie as she saw Chris make another look around the room. She saw him look directly at her and smiled genuinely. He turned to behind him and nodded to Mark, who was on the drums, with a rare yellow bandana on, emitting a false light so it seemed. He then nodded to Stephanie, on the lead guitar to his right with her flaming red hair stifled into two braids at her two sides. Then, finally, to Tina on bass guitar with her hair streaked with purple in a ponytail. "One. . . Two. . . One, two, three,"

"_Turn out the light_," Chris started to sing with only the accompaniment of Stephanie's acoustic guitar. Raven was surprised at how soft his voice was. Not in the volume or strength, for she could tell he was not rising to his full potential, yet. However it was soft as in. . . caring. Something she naturally associated with Chris, but somehow didn't think he would carry into his music. He continued.

"_Just say goodnight, to yourself.  
May I remind you, when you find you  
You're all alone is when  
You've got to be strong_

"'_Cause that's when they call you,  
In the night  
He's got your picture in his mind  
He's got your number, on a paper, at his disposal,  
Anytime"_

Chris started to sing louder into the microphone as Tina joined in with her acoustic bass guitar. His voice was so lonely. . . all by itself. But, it wouldn't be the same with someone else tying down the wondrous and graceful sound of his singing. And anyone else, no matter who it was, could never match his or even do it justice.

"_Is it really true?  
Could you save yourself,  
For someone who,  
Could love you for you?_

"_So many times we just give it away  
To someone who,  
Someone who you met in a bar  
The back of a car_

"_And for a moment, you felt important,  
but not in your heart"_

Chris began to become animated as he sang the next few verses. He was truly singing from his heart. Raven could tell. He was singing something that meant a lot to him. Or maybe, something he wanted someone else to hear and know.

"'_Cause my self esteem,  
It's been low,  
Go on and count, it's been lower than low_

"_I know the feeling, of it stealing,  
Life out from under me"_

Mark started with the drums after waiting patiently for most of the song. It added beat and completed the song, although most would be satisfied with Chris singing a capella.

"'_Cause I want to learn,  
How you save yourself,  
For someone who, could love you for you_

"_So many times we just give it away,  
To someone who,  
Couldn't even remember your name_

"_Could you save yourself,  
For someone who,  
Loves you for you?  
Loves me for me_

_"Give it away,  
To someone who,  
Someone who will cherish your name"_

Chris stood back from the microphone while Mark, Stephanie, and Tina continued to play as if the music was speaking to them. All four of them were bopping their heads and tapping their feet. Chris then came back to the mike and began to sing once more with his beautiful voice.

"'_Cause I want to learn,  
Can you save yourself  
For someone who will  
Love you for you?_

"_So many times,  
We just give it away  
To someone who  
Couldn't even remember your name_

"_Could you save yourself,  
For someone who,  
Loves you for you,  
Loves me for me_

"_Give it away to someone who,  
Someone who will cherish your name  
Cherish your name"_

Wild applause came from the audience, now jam-packed in the small coffee shop. The four of the performers stood up and bowed as one to the clapping crowd, having finished their final song. Raven started clapping to the stunning performance as a tear started to form in her eye. _Too many people. _She turned away from the crowd and walked closer to the door. As the tear slid down her cheek followed by a few others, a lamp before her shattered but made no sound. With darkness surrounding it, it pieced itself together and the darkness dissipated. _Wha? I didn't do that. . . who did?_

Then as she was about to take another step a hand laid down heavy on her right shoulder. "I am sorry, Raven. I didn't mean for that reaction to happen." Raven turned around to see an ashamed and disappointed(?) Chris.

Raven tried to smile to reassure him, but to no avail. It slipped right off her face as soon as it had appeared.

Chris observed all this and took what he thought the best course. "I like what you've done to your wardrobe. It is good to see you out of your regular clothes and in new ones. Let me guess; Starfire dragged you to the mall of shopping in order to find earthly adornments and ended up buying you several outfits. How did I do?"

"Damn, you're good!" Raven yelled excitedly a little — or a lot — too loudly. _Oh, look at the crap you just set yourself in, niiiiice one, Rae_. "Uh. . . I mean that is correct."

Chris was restraining himself, keeping a wide smile on his face, but couldn't keep it in anymore. He laughed with his head back. It didn't make Raven feel out of place like it would have if it was any other person. Instead, it gave her awe and made her feel strangely at home. He laughed so freely, she couldn't remember him ever laughing like this ever before. She couldn't remember the last time she laughed like that, either. But she couldn't. Too many people could get hurt when she was in the public.

—

Once the crowd had settled down and mostly left, Chris finally got his cappuccino and somehow persuaded Raven to drink a latte. 'It is just a different form of caffeine. Come on, I'll pay or it. Waitress!' He had said and before she could do anything there was a latte in her hands.

Chris had just stared her down until she took one sip and absolutely, completely, utterly _loved _it. "I don't like it," She faked, "Now let me have some herbal tea, wai—"

"Raven," Chris took her arm down before it raised full height, "Please don't lie to me. Lies confine people because they are forced to live inside them. I don't want that to happen to you."

"Fine, oh fine. Because of your heartwarming speech I shall admit to liking the first taste, but that is it. I have my doubts as to liking the rest of it."

"Well, I can tell you one thing. You won't like it if we keep chatting and it becomes cold. C'mon, let us drink up and be happy." He raised his Styrofoam cup up and she brought hers up, "To our future."

As soon as Chris had said it, he wished he could take it back. There was a long pause between them as Chris thought about the not too distant future and Raven picked up his panic and fear through her empathy. It was slight, but she knew it was there.

Raven had thought about it for every day of her life since she was old enough to understand until just nine months ago. She had accepted that one day she would be forced to duke it out with her fa— _Trigon_. Chris also had a demon parent, he had admitted that and had given her proof. What was his parent's plan with him? Was he supposed to— No. She couldn't think like that.

Looking back at him, Raven saw, if not felt, he was distraught underneath all the barriers he had put up, additional to what she had sensed before. Trying to lighten up the mood, Raven asked, "So, what was the song you sang about? I am sorry I was late, because it was beautiful. You really have a beautiful voice. I wish I could sing."

"Thank you, the song was about a certain person I know, who should really look before she steps. You should really get to know, _really _know a person before deciding to give your heart to them. Sometimes it isn't easy to refrain from developing feelings, but still it can hurt, so very badly. I had two other very good female friends, like sisters to me, that had broken hearts from two guys. They just decided to leave one day. Tina got over it, but Stephanie? She never did recover fully."

_So he thinks of Tina only as a sister. . . And she loved someone else before Chris? Maybe that is why she does not want me to get close to him. She doesn't want anyone else to leave her. . ._ Raven saw Chris sigh and look down at his now empty cup. "What about you, Chris? Is that from experience?" Raven raised a hand to her mouth. She hadn't meant to say that. It was an unspoken agreement between them. She didn't talk about Robin, and he didn't talk about his romantic past. "You don't have to answer that, if you don't want to." She hastily added.

"No, I try not to get involved. You see, Mark, Tina, Stephanie, and a few select others you could say are my family. They know my past. And I know theirs. We have known each other for a long time, a _very _long time, in fact. You are the closest person I have ever gotten to know besides people who I consider as family."

—_Flashback—_

"_I cannot believe you are bringing someone so _uneducated _under this roof. I cannot believe you are doing this, Chris. Why? Are we not good enough for you?_

—_End Flashback—_

_So that's what Tina had meant. . . _"They are also. . . half-breeds?" Raven whispered the last two words. Ashamed of what she had confessed she was.

". . . No." Chris sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "It. . . it is just hard to, uh, talk about it without you knowing everything and I know it isn't right without them present and having their permission."

"I have a question." Raven looked down as she spoke quietly. Chris perked up in interest. "Are you like your . . . brother?"

It took a few seconds before Chris made the connection. "_Oh_, Silas."

Raven looked at him, confused. _Why did it take him so long? _"So?"

"If you mean hotheaded, quick to inane decisions, childish, and foremost for the trees? No, I choose not to believe so. I don't feel right digging in other people's minds and searching their full memory span. But, as from what he tells us, he cannot help it. Raven, you see, um, _all _of us were pretty much abandoned one way or another at a young age. So. . . we never learned full use of our powers. We have been told we hold so much potential, but we are very hesitant of our powers. I guess we are afraid of losing control, and afraid of what we might become." Chris turned his hard gaze from Raven to the floor. Raven could tell he was very insecure of his parentage, and of his future.

All Raven wanted to do was show that she understood, that she cared, and that she knew what was going on in his life. They were so alike, in almost every single way. She really, truly lo— BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

"Oh, uh," Raven flipped open her communicator nonchalantly as Chris raised his eyebrow to the whole situation. "Yes, Robin?" She whispered under the table.

"We have a creature destroying downtown, many people are hurt. We need your help. Come. . . please." He pleaded lamely. Robin was desperately missing his one and only true love. And knowing that she was almost definitely with 'that guy' just hurt even more.

Robin heard a deep voice speak as Raven looked away. "What kind of creature?" Raven asked Robin as she looked back down, again.

"Looking. All it says is that a creature, huge, has begun destroying downtown. Many people are dying, you need to make your _outing _short and get over here." Robin finished with a bitter voice.

"Raven, you should go, now." Both Raven and Robin visibly relaxed as they heard him say he understood. "And I am coming with you, no buts." Or so they thought.

"I'll be there, Robin. Count on it, just don't wait for me. . ." Raven shut her communicator as she saw Chris holding the door for her a trifle impatiently.

"I have a bad feeling about this. I should have told you before, but I felt this and so I didn't want you to leave yet because you'll need my help. Big time."

"You know what we are about to face?" Raven was getting suspicious of what he was holding back.

"It will be a silvery wolf, mangy, unkept fur, and piercing red eyes. But not any wolf. This wolf is about the size of a house and is a shape shifter. And don't think he is your average stupid criminal, because he isn't. He gains his power by deceiving people, by creating illusions, from the shadows and darkness in the back of people's minds, the untouched, unnoticed fear and hatred from hearts of greedy and confused, biased people, and even from death. That is all you should hear, right now, for all will be revealed shortly. And Raven?" Chris went into detail as they left the vicinity and started running downtown.

"Yes?" She replied cautiously. She had never seen Chris like this, _never_. Something was up. She just didn't know what or why.

"I don't know if you love me now, and I don't hold it against you if you do not, but I was just hoping this day would never come. You definitely won't after — if — we come back." Chris dropped back as Raven stopped. "You don't have to go if you don't want to. In fact, I think you should just stay here. This way you don't have to get hurt, you don't have to—" He swallowed hard and went as if to speak again.

"See things I don't want to?" Raven was getting angry with him and his haplessness.

"No," He looked with real sadness into her eyes, "I was going to say, you don't have to _die_."

Raven took a step back in shock. "You really know what is going on, don't you? How did you know? You told me that lies confine just earlier, tell me what you are hiding. 'Fess up, Chris. _Tell me_."

"I felt his blood pulsing nearby, _waiting _for the ecstasy of the hunt, only a little bit after you broke the lamp. And I didn't want you to go. . . not alone, anyway."

"Why? Why _me_?" Raven asked.

"You should know that. He would know _exactly _who you are and what your parentage is because wolves have an extra sense that mortals do not." Chris turned and started to jog down to the rendezvous point, not caring if his next words even made it to her ears or not, "Especially demon wolves."

—Fin—

A/N: Ooooo. Bet you are wondering what happens next!! Well, I cannot tell you, it would spoil the surprise. But just so you know; I ain't telling a smidgin'. You'll have to find out the ol' fashion way. Does that make me sound aged in years? (Shudder) I hope not. Anyway, I have to work on the next few chapters. I have an outline, but not too much written, sorry! It might take a few weeks to a month since I have a lot of schooling to do. But I'll try to get it out as fast as I possibly can. Later!

Signed,  
Her Sappiness


	17. Of What Lies Beneath

**A/N: Oh. My. Goodness! It's been like way too long and I **_**just **_**finished this chapter! You don't know how many sitdowns it took to finish this. A lot of editing and trying to get inspiration to write more. I'm sorry it took so darn long. I hope this chapter will make up for the lateness. Believe me, a lot happens.**

Disclaimer: Chapter seventeen and I still don't own TT. Drat.

Amongst the Quiet  
—Of What Lies Beneath—  
SEVENTEEN

It took Chris and Raven about fifteen minutes to get from Café da le Creme to the downtown area on foot. Raven wanted nothing more than to read his mind to see what was going on in that head of his, but, after what happened last time, she didn't want to chance their relationship. So on they went in silence.

"Raven! Where _have _you been? You're late!" Robin's familiar — and irritating — voice rang in her ears as they reached their destination.

"I told you to go on without me. It isn't _my_ fault _your_ ears cannot hear because your big, fat head is in the way!" For some reason, Raven was _mad_. Not angry mad, but furious get-in-my-way-and-you'll-regret-it-for-the-next-few-millennia mad.

"Rae, yelling never solves anything. Relax. Meditate. We have bigger issues than Robin's ego." Raven was glaring at her ex, but Chris's voice had a soothing effect on her. She suspected he absorbed some of her emotions before she broke anything. Or any_one_ for that matter.

In Robin's case, however, not only did that quip hurt him, but also the fact that Rae, _his _Rae, was becoming brain-washed hit hard. "Why is a civilian here?!" Robin asked in an annoyed tone, bordering anger.

"Maybe because I am not an ordinary civilian. Ever consider that?" Chris was trying not to show it, but he was irritated by Robin, as well. _They're all going to get in the way. . ._

"But you are not a Titan!" Robin spat back. Yeah, this guy was getting on Robin's bad list and the other Titans knew that they shouldn't intervene with the two's quarrel. That is, unless they wanted to be caught in the crossfire.

"And I don't ever plan on being one if it means being under your command. I have a duty, and I shall fulfill it; but on my own." Chris said impassively, but Raven could feel the annoyance and rage start to build up inside of him. Raven had felt a lot of his emotions, but nothing close to rage before. _What is going on? _She wondered.

"We Titans also have a duty. We help people and we help each other. _We _will save this city." Check mark. This guy was on Robin's hate list, now.

"Do you really think this is about your little town? Have you ever took consideration of why this area attracts so many villains and the crime rate is so high? Oh, wait. You never looked at the big picture, did you? Well, it doesn't concern you so leave while you can." Chris had had enough of this guy and wanted so bad to just walk away to fight this battle, leaving Robin alone to be killed. But that wasn't right, he reminded himself. _Stupid humans. . . why did you have to grow on me so much _now_ of all times?_

"The Titans don't walk away from a fight." But Robin was being difficult. He didn't want to leave which only caused more internal troubles for Chris.

_Why do humans always have to be so stubborn? Can't they take goodwill for goodwill?_ "Leave now and evacuate the city! Let people leave while they can." Chris told the five of them in a demanding tone._ Why won't they listen to me? There isn't too much time left._ "This fight is going to get very big and very heavy. Please, all five of you would be doing the biggest favor to this town by getting every living thing out."

"You really know about this, don't you? _How_?" Robin said each word very slowly as he narrowed his eyes. He was curious about Chris from the beginning. _What does he know that we don't?_ Robin wondered.

"Because," Chris started, "I am the target." Each word seemed to be in slow motion and then on repeat in Raven's head.

"Why you?" Raven asked but Chris ignored her.

"Erogate! (A/N: pronounced air-oh-guh-tee) Come out and show Your ugly head!" Chris walked on ahead. He was scouting the area, knowing the Wolf could be anywhere.

"Why you?" Robin echoed Raven's question, demanding an answer.

_I can't let them know. . ._ "Please, just leave so you don't die!" Chris pleaded all five of them as he continued walking forward. _They need to get out now!_

"Not until you tell me why you are the target." Robin stood his ground. He would not move an inch until every bit was explained to him. _Why would a civilian be a target?_

Chris didn't want them, no, _her_ to know more than was necessary. However, they would not move until Robin's curiosity was satisfied. So he told them the little he could. "Because of my parentage. I am like Raven; a half-breed as much as I hate to say it." He admitted and they all believed him and knew this to be true. It would definitely explain a lot of things. "_Now_ will you evacuate?"

"Starfire, Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy: evacuate as many civilians as you possibly can." Robin commanded, but they hesitated, not wanting to leave their leader or Chris.

"No, Robin. I am staying here." Raven dismissed the order._ I will stay here with you, Chris. No matter what._

"I'll transport them into the town center. That would be the fastest way." Chris tried to hurry their reaction, and get them out of the crossfire before Erogate appeared and it was all over.

"Wait, you mean you have powers? Ones like Raven's?" Robin asked, apparently not understanding what Chris had said earlier.

"I _did_ say I was a half-breed like Raven, did I not?" Chris said, wondering how someone so smart could miss something so obvious. He sighed before continuing. "Yes, I have powers like Raven except they are not so limited as hers. I can use any type of darkness, whereas she can only use dark energy." He stated quite blankly before adding very adamantly. "His blood is pulsing; He nears His target. You must leave, _now_!"

"No need to tell us twice. Star, BB; let's get out of here." Cyborg led the other two Titans to Town Center to help evacuate civilians.

—

They wandered around downtown for about ten minutes with Chris leading the way and Robin criticizing him for every second in which they weren't in this 'Wolf's' presence. It was annoying both Raven and Chris to death and they weren't sure they could handle much more. "Robin."

"What is it now, Mister Follow-the-Leader?" Robin wanted nothing more than to have 'Mister Cool' start cursing him out and look bad-mannered in Raven's eyes. He was just hoping it was working.

"Don't. move. at. all." Chris had his hand, which started glowing black, pointed at Robin's head. Robin gulped; he was not expecting this. His eyes widened and as he started to take a step back, Chris fired a bolt of darkness like a bullet from his hands. It grazed Robin's right cheek, leaving a light cut, and exploded in the background as it hit a building. The sound was deafening.

Before either Robin or Raven could say or even think anything, they heard a roar of pain from some humongous Creature behind them. The sound echoed off of the other buildings around them. When they turned around, they saw a toppled business building (thankfully empty since it was a Sunday) on top of a pale-colored Wolf roughly the size of a three-story building. It was on Its side under the rubble. As It started to rise, the cement, steel beams, and glass began to move and fall to the ground, leaving wounds behind that rapidly disappeared.

"It can heal Itself?!" Robin exclaimed. What was this freak Thing and where did It come from? Why was It after Chris?

"Oh, It can do much more than that. . ." Someone said behind them and they turned around to see a beautiful, tall woman nearing twenty-five wearing a black, leather corset, matching short shorts, and knee-high combat boots standing there. She had long, golden hair separated into two pigtails held by a white ribbon on her right and a black on her left. Her eyes were a dark blue like Chris', and she had two long double-edged swords on her back. She was ready for a battle, that much they could tell.

"Sabrina, thank goodness, you came right on time." Chris sighed in relief. "I thought you weren't going to come for a moment." He said to the woman, Sabrina, who just smiled slightly and nodded her head as Raven scowled. Who was this mysterious woman and why would Chris ask _her_ to help and not Raven?_ Why? _However, before Raven could voice any of her doubts, they heard another roar come from the Beast. They turned around to face It. It had fully recovered and was making Its way toward the four of them!

"You should go, now. I'll take care of the birds." Chris nodded his head with an 'okay' and walked forward to the Horror that lay ahead. As Chris took a few steps forward, Raven made a move to follow him. However, Sabrina grabbed her arm, none too gently, and wouldn't let her move forward another inch.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Raven tried to pull from Sabrina's grasp, but couldn't pry her fingers off of her arm. She continued to restrain Raven as Chris walked farther, trying his best to focus on the Enemy. "Chris is about to go against that— that Monster and you won't let me help him!"

Sabrina looked at Raven for the first time and Raven felt naked under her stare. "Why would he need help?" She asked simply.

"He doesn't know what he's doing!" Raven nearly screamed and Robin looked away at all the emotion she was displaying for_ that guy_, and not himself.

"Even though you've been going out for three months, you still know nothing about him." Sabrina sighed and shook her head. "You are underestimating him. He's had far more time to establish his powers than you have." Raven was about to speak again, but quieted at what was said next. "No more doubting. You should believe instead." Sabrina turned her head to look ahead where Chris had just met with the demon Wolf before creating a shield of wind around the three of them. "This should protect us from the fight about to begin."

"Protect us?! What do you mean?" Sabrina kept looking ahead, completely ignoring Raven's question. She would see soon enough.

—

He walked nonchalantly over to the Enemy, eyes locked onto the Target. He stopped roughly twenty feet from the Creature and stood tall. He would not let that _Thing_ get the better of him. "So, you've finally come for me, Erogate." Chris said with no emotion whatsoever to the demon Wolf.

The Creature growled as he spoke, making the ground shake and His words sound distorted. "Of course; I don't plant seeds and just let them fester." His grumbling was so loud the other three behind the wind shield could hear every word spoken. And, for some unknown reason, they could hear Chris' words, as well.

"So You've done this before?" Chris asked, slightly intrigued, though he didn't show it in his tone or words.

If it was possible, Erogate smiled smugly in His wolf form. "You have no idea how many tens of thousands of years I've waited for one of My seeds to survive. Of course, I'm not surprised _you_ managed to make it considering who your mother was." Chris noticed how He said 'was', obviously trying to remind Chris of his mother's assassination. The assassination he had witnessed. It was almost too much pain to bear, and Chris scowled in hatred. "My, my. Now that's an unpleasant expression. You're not happy to see Me?" He taunted Chris. "Didn't you know that I'm here to offer you freedom from this human clutter?"

Chris closed his eyes, trying to calm down. He could already feel his nails grow longer. This was not good! He couldn't do that. Not here, not now, and _not_ in front of Raven. "Why can't You see that I don't want it? I want nothing to do with You!" Chris screamed, his rage getting the better of him.

Erogate snarled at Chris' response. Didn't the boy want out of the cruel and disgusting world that hated him so? The Wolf didn't understand. "You want nothing to do with your salvation? I am going to bring Atlantis back and free the world of human imperfection!"

"What do I have to do with this?" Chris now had his teeth clenched and his face down as he nearly screamed at Erogate. He felt his teeth grow into fangs. Things were not looking good. He wouldn't go all the way. . . would he?

"You really are a stupid boy." The Wolf growled with Its head lifted up in superiority. But He couldn't continue without him. The boy was an essential part of His plan.

"How are You planning to bring Atlantis back?" Chris asked with narrowed eyes. "That's what Galatea was prophesied to do, not _You_." He added.

"Oh, _I'm_ not going to do it, exactly." _What is He planning?_ Chris thought and was told soon enough. "_You_ are. You have both the potential and the power."

"Wha—? I don't. . . What do You mean? Stop playing with me!" Chris screamed once more in frustration and utter confusion.

"What do I mean?" Erogate let out a cruel laugh. "I have waited over six thousand years for your powers to mature enough to use them to take over this now pitiful planet. I will set things straight. Atlantis will be restored through you, or rather through your power and inheritance."

"You can't be serious. . ." Chris shook his head in disbelief.

"Oh, but I am. You were the eldest child; the eldest _prince _of Atlantis while it was the capital of Titania. Or, do you not remember six thousand years ago, Tristan?"

"Don't call me that! Tristan died a long time ago." Chris shouted bitterly. "He's dead. . . And he's never coming back!"

—

"Eldest prince? Atlantis? Six thousand years ago? Tristan?" Raven was confused beyond compare. _What is going on?_ She turned to Sabrina who stood there calmly, watching the scene between Erogate and Chris — or was it Tristan? "Do you understand any of this?"

"Of course I do. I'm older than Tristan and I've been with him for most of his life. I even taught him how to use his powers when he was younger." Sabrina looked to Raven with a sympathetic smile. "It's not your fault he didn't tell you. He didn't want you to know because he wanted to stay with you as long as he could, and we didn't want an outsider involved. It was voted on and he was forbidden to tell you anything more than necessary."

"What's with calling Chris 'Tristan', and why would I leave him if I knew the truth? He's just like me. . ." Raven protested.

"Not exactly, my dear." Sabrina told her. "It is true he has lived over six thousand years with the rest of us—"

"Us?" Raven started, but Sabrina silenced her with a finger to her lips.

"There are more of us, though few. Like Silas for example. Didn't you ever wonder how they were half-brothers when Chris — or his birth name Tristan — is connected to the Yoru family and Silas lives in the forest?" Raven hung her head. Why didn't she think of that? "Tristan is actually the eldest of his mother's eight children. A rape child like you are." Sabrina's eyes had narrowed as she spoke. "He was the eldest child, and male I might add, of the Queen of Atlantis' children. Back then, Atlantis was the capital of all Titania as Earth was once called. He was one of the few survivors from the fall of Atlantis. Almost all Atlanteans died then. It was a massacre." Her voice was soft and full of emotion; Raven and Robin could hear the inner turmoil she must be going through. The fall of Atlantis was apparently a sensitive subject.

Even knowing this, Raven took a chance and asked a question. "What about you? How did you survive the massacre?"

"That's the thing; I didn't. I was already dead at that point."

Robin butted in at this point. "So you're trying to tell us that you're dead when you are obviously still alive in front of us?"

"What makes you think I'm alive? This isn't even my real body; it's a shell. My body was stolen from me when I was brought back. It was the price I had to pay to get back into the world of the living." Raven had heard of such a thing as the Undead, but Robin flat out did not believe her. How could she be dead and yet look so alive? He wanted further proof. "You don't believe me?" She asked, picking up both Robin and Raven's emotions of uncertainty. "Maybe this will help you understand."

Sabrina took one of her swords down from off her back and swung it so her arm was chopped off a bit above the elbow. Raven's hand went to her mouth, anticipating a bloody scene. However, as her arm fell, it disintegrated into dust and blew away before it even had a chance to touch the ground. They looked up to her body as a new hollow arm started to form and was completed within seconds.

"There's no blood. . ." Raven said in astonishment.

"Of course not. This shell stopped producing blood many cycles ago." Sabrina told them sadly._ I really _am_ falling apart at the seams. . ._

"Cycles?" Robin asked.

"How else do you think we have survived for over six thousand years?" Sabrina asked rhetorically. "We — the few Atlanteans left — have cycles; a period of thirty to forty years of life before we start over and are born again to different parents. And it's always the same body; we are unable to create any others. We actually didn't start moving around until recently. At the beginning of our cycle previous to this one, when Tristan was about twelve years into his cycle, the government discovered that his fingerprints were the same as someone who had died thirteen years beforehand. Keep in mind, this was after the Roswell Crash and a secret organization in the government was going crazy. They went to investigate and found him as he was being beat up, like usual. The agents scared away the other kids and saw how his wounds healed, though slowly. They immediately captured him and restrained him in a white room for inspection. Those insane people tried to take him apart and keep him awake for every part of it, but any cut they made would heal involuntarily. We eventually had to bust him out and Silas deleted every one of their memories completely in order to keep us all alive. They were not so lenient with alien species as they are now."

Raven clenched her fists and looked down. "Chris was hurting back then. . . Why would someone do such a thing?"

"Raven, you don't know the half of it. Unfortunately, he has _always_ been hurting; especially when he went by his birth name Tristan. He can't handle conflict, so he lets everyone have their own way; even at his own expense. He only started standing up to people and saying 'no' recently. You must have given him the courage, Raven." Sabrina smiled at her and released her arm finally. "Out of all the people he's known in all of his cycles, it was _you_ who erased his doubts and replaced it with confidence. You're a very special person to him, Raven. Please, just know that."

Raven smiled back while Robin frowned and winced. _You're special to me, too, Raven. Why can't you see that?_

—

Erogate snarled. "You are wrong, boy. Tristan is standing here before Me. You just don't acknowledge the cold, icy monster that you've always been. You told yourself that 'Tristan', the identity you gave that behavior, was locked up in the back of your mind. That way it would not influence your present self and would be as good as dead." Chris put his hands on his ears, refusing to listen to Erogate's lies. The effort was futile, however. The Wolf's voice was so loud it penetrated the barriers to Chris' ears. "You have always been Tristan! Chris is a non-existent personality you created to cover up all of your faults and ugliness. Tristan is the true face behind your mask!" Erogate roared causing everyone to cover their ears at the dreadful and deafening sound.

Chris felt his human ears morph into the ears of a wolf and stick partially out of his hair, barely noticeable to the others. Erogate noticed, however, and smiled twistedly. _This is getting worse by the second. I can't let Him get to me. I have to attack now! _Chris hummed a slight tune then began to sing a beautiful, yet dark, song with his melodic voice. Erogate's red eyes turned the color of ice and He stiffly walked forward until He was in the middle of the street. He was caught in a trance. Chris smiled. _It's working! Thanks, Sabrina. I owe you a lot for this technique._ With grace beyond all human ability, Chris began to dance in a circle around Erogate. Wherever Chris stepped a black footprint appeared, forming a pattern.

Erogate was trying to move, to keep Chris from finishing his spell, but it was of no use. He couldn't budge. Chris' first spell was surprisingly strong for someone being in a false human body and unable to tap into their full capability.

Chris was almost done with his dance in a perfect circle around Erogate. He had a few more steps to go, but they would be the hardest. Not in power, for he had this spell down, but because he would see Raven. _What is she doing? How is she reacting to all this? _

However, with a few steps left, they locked eyes and Chris saw hers widen. _Of course. _He thought._ She saw the little I've transformed. I'm a monster to her, now. I'm not her prince charming anymore. And after this, _if_ we come out alive, I won't be anything to her at all._ And with that thought, Chris about finished the spell with only his final step to go. He had his eyes on her figure and miss-stepped, barely closing the circle.

Chris stepped back as the circle of black footprints turned into the ancient script of the Atlanteans, unreadable to Robin and Raven, but perfectly comprehendible to the other three present. Erogate knew His fate from the first footstep. _Of course Destiny would've taught Tristan how to counter My most powerful form. _The Monster thought as the script drew closer and closer to His still body. The script ran up His legs, leaving marks everywhere it had touched His body until the script ran around the top of His head. The Wolf howled at the pain as the marks grew until His entire body was covered with dark energy and the script was hovering around His head.

Darkness exploded around Him. It made everything around the five of them turn black; even the sky. However, the three inside the wind shield could see each other, but not even the ground they stood on.

After a few moments of virtual blindness, the darkness receded to the blob of dark energy where Erogate once stood. The ancient script was still hovering around the middle of Whatever awaited behind the shield of black energy. Finally, the darkness melted away, leaving behind a skinny, barefoot Man with a pasty complexion, long, untamed silver-white hair with matching wolf ears and tail, and in an off-white, wrinkled toga. He looked fierce with blood-red eyes, long, pointed fingernails, and more than His share of extra-long canine teeth.

The ancient script bound the Man around the waist as if it were rope and continued there until it literally went through Him. The Man gagged and screamed in agony as the script left Him, falling to His knees in weakness. The ancient script hovered over to where Chris was standing, an orb of black energy within it. Chris opened his arms and pushed the dark orb inside of him, wincing as it went in.

"What have you done, boy?!" The Man, Erogate's humanoid form, screamed. Chris did not flinch or wince or show any expression to Erogate's words. And that only upset the Monster more. "I'll show you. . ." He threatened and lunged at Chris. Before Chris could react, Erogate's fangs were sunk into Chris' left bicep. Chris' back was to the threesome in the wind shield, but they heard the sickening crunch of Chris' bone snapping in two. Erogate stepped back with Chris' left arm from just below his shoulder down. Chris bit his lip in effort to keep him from screeching out in pain. "That's right. You are not used to pain, are you?" The half-Wolf half-Man snickered evilly at Chris' obvious pain.

Chris was on the edge on panic. "Why. . . why won't it heal?!" All he felt was increasing pain, but then he saw the Creature spit some of his arm's blood on the ground. A hole was created in the asphalt from His saliva. _So that's it._ Chris figured it out. The acid in His saliva was preventing any regeneration in Chris' arm. In fact, it was only eating more of it!

"So, _boy_, what are you going to do now that you can't heal your arm?" Erogate taunted. However, He wasn't expecting what happened next. Chris managed to smile through the pain and created a sword of dark energy in his right hand. With all the force he could muster, he chopped his left arm off at the shoulder. Behind the shield of wind, Robin and Raven were surprised that somehow he wasn't bleeding where he had cut his shoulder.

Chris winced again at the pain. "I can start over." He said as a bone started to protrude from his shoulder and grow until it was full grown. As the next bone below the elbow began to grow, muscles began to grow on top of the already made bone. And, after that, layers of skin followed until his arm was as good as new. It only took five seconds or so for his involuntary regeneration to create a whole new arm out of nothing. "I do have to thank both my mother and You for giving me such wonderful genes." Chris started. "I may not be a Goddess like my mother or a full-fledged Demon like You, but I am a Guardian of this world. Even though it isn't Titania anymore and humans govern it; I will still protect it to death as I was born to do."

Chris wore a determined face. _I will destroy this Monster. . . for you, Raven._ As that determination turned to power, Chris felt a tail grow and tried to calm down his inner demon. If he transformed all the way, it would be too easy for Erogate to use him to recreate Atlantis. And that would only lead to disaster.

—

"What's happening to Chris?" Raven asked Sabrina. "Why is he like that?" Raven was very concerned and more than a little scared._ Azar, what is going on?_

"Like what?" Sabrina asked back, never tearing her eyes off of the two in front of her.

Raven felt uneasy answering her and voicing what she was seeing. "Why does Chris have animal ears and a tail? Why is he transforming and into what?" She wasn't sure what to believe anymore. Wrong or right didn't apply to this.

Sabrina nodded. "I understand your concern, but not your fright. Are you afraid of Erogate — or Tristan? You don't have to answer me; just think about it." She sighed. "In answer to your question, demons take many different forms when they are created. Erogate, as you saw, has a wolf's form. Tristan, as His son, also has a wolf form."

Robin blinked twice. "His _son_?"

"Yes, how else did you think he was a half-breed? I don't know why that is so surprising. After all, you did date Raven: the daughter of Trigon." Sabrina reasoned with Robin. What she said was true. Robin didn't know why it was so surprising. Maybe it was because he never thought he would meet anyone like Raven, again. Maybe because he thought Raven was the only half-demon alive. Whatever it was, he knew that's why Raven and Chris got along so well. Unlike himself and Raven, the two of them had many things in common. Both of them were rape children who were half-demons. Robin didn't know the specifics, but decided that they had lived similar lives and could relate to one another more than anyone else.

"What was the Queen of Atlantis like?" Raven wondered out loud randomly, thankfully easing the three of them out of the awkward silence they found themselves in.

It first took Sabrina off-guard, but then she smiled warmly. "She was a beautiful woman named Destiny. She was the Queen of Atlantis and also the Goddess of Life and Death. She was very powerful and very kind. She loved humans and longed to be one, herself. However, she was assassinated when Tristan was fifteen-years-old. That was before the fall of Atlantis and before the few of us took human forms and started our cycles. The most painful part of her assassination was that Tristan and his three half-siblings witnessed it. They never forgave themselves for it." Sabrina looked very sad and depressed by the end of her explanation.

"She wasn't human? Then was she a demon? Wait, if that was true, then Chris would be a full demon. So she couldn't be demon. Argh, what was she?" Robin was royally confused.

"You really don't know? She was Atlantean, of course. But not like your friend Aqua Lad. He is actually what we call a river nymph. All creatures that claim to be Atlanteans nowadays are actually the remnants of all the different races that filled Titania before the fall of Atlantis. About no _real_ Atlanteans survived. Just a select few of those with royal blood. Sadly, that's it." Sabrina crossed her arms in front of her body.

"So, some of Chris' half-siblings survived?" Raven asked with interest.

Sabrina smiled as she answered. "Yes, all seven of them survived."

"Hold up." Raven said. "You just said that Chris had three siblings when his mother died. I'm assuming the other four aren't half-demon, so how did they come to be?" She was beginning to get lost in the answers that only brought on more questions.

"Well, Goddesses don't just _die_." Sabrina started. "The Gods and Goddesses of Life and Death drift to a place called the Vault of Heaven. Only the Gods and Goddesses can go inside along with only one other they have invited during their fleshly course. But, you see, since they don't fall asleep in death, they can be summoned back by another God or Goddess."

"Ohhh!" Robin and Raven both said. However, Sabrina could still feel some questions bubbling within them.

She continued. "She was summoned back by her father, the God or 'Soldier' of Death, who quite interestingly was the one who killed her in the first place." Sabrina turned her hard gaze from the floor to the fight before her. "She was dead for about one hundred years. She missed her four children and her husband. But, the truth is, she had never invited anyone to share her fate within the Vault of Heaven since she did not plan to die at twenty-eight. So she was very lonely, even with her ancestors there to keep her company. When her father offered her life, she took the opportunity without a second thought; no matter what the cost. She ended up losing her body in the trade for fleshly life and ended up in a human's body. Slowly, however, that human body became the shell she now exists in. And _no one _can call that living."

Raven's eyes widened and she gasped as she figured it out. Robin followed shortly behind. Sabrina walked up to Raven. "Does that answer all your questions, little one?"

Raven nodded. _So that's why she knows so much about Chris and his Father._

"So, you have _eight_ children?" Robin asked.

Sabrina smiled. "Yes, I do. As before stated, I had Tristan and three others whom he considers his 'family'. Then, once I was reborn in a human body I had four others. One of them being Silas. It's sad that the two groups of four don't get along very well."

"So they hate each other?" Robin asked Sabrina.

"No. No, they don't. They get along, but they aren't family. It's mainly because Tristan and his three half-siblings were brought up as royalty in Atlantis with the younger three being full Atlantean. My youngest four are all one quarter human. They were also brought up as royalty, but it was in a human kingdom. So they have major differences as to how they grew up and view the world. And, unfortunately, I'm caught in the middle of their differences." Sabrina's smile turned to a troubled look. However, she wasn't allowed to be sad for long.

"Sabrina!" Yelled a voice that was familiar to both girls. The threesome turned around to find Tina running towards them. As she neared the wind shield it parted to let her in and expanded so they were not short on room. "How's the situation developing? Is Chris alright? Please be alright. . ." She pleaded, almost afraid of knowing the answer.

Before Sabrina could even respond, Robin asked one of the most intelligible questions he had all day. "Who are _you_?"

"Her name is Tina and she is a friend. That's all you need to know." Sabrina answered coldly because Robin cut her off before she could even begin. She turned back to Tina and began informing her. "He's transformed four out of the five steps." Tina gasped. _This is not good. If he transforms all the way. . ._ "But the good news is that he used _that_ attack, only slightly altered."

"Slightly altered? What do you mean by 'slightly altered'?" Tina asked in a panic.

"I'm not quite sure. All I know is that he mis-stepped and it produced some close but different effect than what I taught him." Tina closed her eyes upon hearing the news.

"Chris, you have to be alright. You have to win." She whispered.

"If Chris transforms all the way, I will be forced to step in, you know." Sabrina informed Tina.

"You can't! You're not strong enough!" Tina objected strongly to the idea.

However, Sabrina stood calmly and replied. "Sometimes people aren't as weak as they make you think they are." She paused for a moment to let that thought sink in. "Your brother would say the same thing." Sabrina smiled and it spread to Tina's face, as well, releasing all fears.

—

Erogate growled. "Do you really think you can defeat _Me_, boy?"

"I was born to do so." Chris looked Erogate in the eyes. "Your selfish actions will bring upon your own destruction!" And at that Chris charged at Erogate with his right hand clutching a sword made purely of darkness. Chris ran directly at his Sire, holding his sword's blade toward the Demon who could be his worst Enemy or his greatest Ally. However, Chris disappeared at the moment just before his sword impacted with Erogate's chest. Everyone looked around for several seconds, unable to find him.

Erogate laughed openly. "Did you really think bringing Me down will be _that _easy, boy?" What everyone else had not seen was Chris step onto Erogate's shadow and become part of it. He did not simply disappear as it had seemed. Instead, Chris was now beneath Erogate's feet with his sword sticking through one foot and the darkness bent so it went through the other. It should've trapped Erogate like Chris thought it would, but it didn't. "You may have stolen a Part of Myself, but that does not make you stronger than Me! I will make you learn _your _place; even if it's the last thing you do."

Erogate closed His eyes and concentrated. He held His hand out in front of Him and clenched it as if He was grabbing onto something fiercely. The dark shadow around His feet dissipated slowly by wrapping around Erogate's legs, then His waist, stretched out onto His arm, and ended up as a black vertical blob being held by His hand. The shadow thinned out and lightened until it took the shape of a human body. It was Chris' body. Erogate's claws were sinking into Chris' throat and were strangling him. Soon the Monster raised the hand around Chris' neck higher and higher and higher until his feet were off the ground and he was choking. He couldn't breathe, nonetheless use his powers correctly. What could he do to get out of this situation?

—

"I'm sorry, Sabrina, but I have to go!" Tina said in a rush, but Sabrina grabbed her arm as she had Raven's to prevent her from leaving the safety of the shield. She wouldn't endanger any more people than absolutely necessary. She couldn't bear to lose any more of her friends and family.

"Not yet, Tina." Sabrina said calmer than she felt. "Erogate needs Chris. He won't kill him. Well, not until after He revives Atlantis, and Song help us if He does!" Tina nodded and slowly sat down on the asphalt in the shield of wind. It wasn't comfortable, but it would keep her from gushing everywhere in an attempt to save the person she loves the most.

—

Chris hung there with his hands gripping at his father's fingers and claws on his neck. His skin was being pierced constantly, so it would heal everywhere but on the contact point. Chris was fighting it. He had to! He couldn't let this get the best of him. Not with only one stage left. . . He could feel his demonic power start to boil as he neared his fifth and final stage's power. It was close, so close, but he would not let Erogate have that advantage over him. He just hoped his determination would last.

After a few minutes of strangling His one surviving heir, Erogate grew bored and impatient. He wanted to see the unbridled power this boy possessed. Now it was mixed with His own personal power that would not only increase his abilities, but also make him easier to manipulate. He had grown up using his Atlantean abilities which all centered around control. This new power would mix things up for sure! Erogate smiled at the thought of a whole world — _Titania _— at His disposal. He just had to shake this boy up a bit so he would transform all the way and then there would be _nothing _that anyone could do to stop Him.

Chris could feel himself slipping into the power in his mixture of blood. Soon Raven would see him for who he _really _was. Already she was frightened of him; who wouldn't be? He wasn't what she wanted. He didn't have control of his vast abilities. Chris thought about Raven one last time before letting his blood and power take over him. He couldn't hold it back any longer. . .

—

Tina screamed and Sabrina gasped as they felt rather than saw the fifth stage come and go. Chris' eyes turned red before he transformed completely into his demon form. He wasn't as large as his Father had been, but he was the size of a good-sized two story house. He, as well, was in the form of a silvery-white wolf. Erogate laughed in triumph. _He _had won this battle! Titania was His for the taking and no one — Atlantean, Demon, or whatnot — could stop Him now!

"Tina, I need you to watch over the birds." Sabrina said after clenching her fists. "I'm going in after him."

"Sabrina. . ." Tina let her thoughts accumulate for a moment before speaking. "Just don't die, you hear me?" She pleaded, nearly crying. It was a side Raven had never seen before and she felt bad about judging and possibly hating Tina without fully knowing her. "I don't know what all of us would do without you. You are the backbone to all of us and Galatea still has much to learn from you and—" Tina abruptly stopped speaking when Sabrina's finger made its way to her lips, silently quieting her.

"Who says anything about dying? I plan on getting out of this mess without a single loss. That's why I'm going instead of you or anyone else. He can't kill something already dead, now, can He?" Sabrina winked at Tina, hoping to share some of her confidence before she left and faced the first real battle since she was brought back. It would be hard, but she could do it.

Right?

—

Sabrina walked out of the wind shield over to her son and the Demon who had raped her all that time ago. She stood not even ten feet from the Demon who had haunted her dreams of late and tortured her with the memory of their encounter over six thousand years ago. Her eyes narrowed and she wore a scowl at the thought of all the pain He had caused her over her short lifetime and from her being brought back until this very moment. And then He spoke. "What is your purpose, Destiny? Do you _really _think you can beat me in your current state?"

"No one has called me Destiny in a long time. . . And I have to admit I am _sick _of hearing that name!" Sabrina yelled as she cast herself in Erogate's direction only a few paces in front of her. Only moments before she reached Him, He transformed in what looked like a shimmer of light. He was. . . beautiful. He looked like he was around Sabrina's human age with bronze curly hair, a muscular yet lean body, a gorgeous face, loving amethyst eyes, and golden wings. He was any girl's dream angel. And when he smiled, Destiny stopped short of where Erogate once stood; no sign of her pent up emotions. She couldn't believe it! She blinked a few times, trying to decipher what was happening. She was doing something. . . What was it? She _was _doing something before she saw him, wasn't she? She didn't know.

"Destiny. . ." The dream said to her. He gave her that smile she had grown so fond of. . . Then she remembered. She was fighting Erogate; a shape-shifter. He had done this to her once before when he raped her. He had come to her during the night disguised as RavenStar; the man she was to marry within the month. How could she fight the man she loved? She didn't fight back and ended up with child.

Sabrina started to laugh as Erogate, disguised as her dead husband RavenStar, came closer to where she was standing. "You know, Erogate," Sabrina laughed with a smile on her face as the form of RavenStar looked confused, "you couldn't have picked a better form." At that Sabrina punched the fake RavenStar in the solar plexus as hard as she could. She saw 'RavenStar' fall to his knees in shock and look up at her with a betrayed look on his face.

"But why, Destiny?" He asked with tears in his eyes.

"It's quite simple, Erogate." Sabrina told him as she picked him up by his curly hair so he would stand on his feet. At her words, the fake RavenStar's eyes widened in surprise for barely a moment, but Sabrina noticed. "You see, my husband watched me die. RavenStar didn't do a damned thing while I was getting murdered." She punched him in the face and heard his nose break. "Let's just say I never forgave him for it."

Erogate backed off a few feet before transforming back to His human form. Before He could shape-shift again or attack Sabrina, the ground shuddered and vibrated as the sound of a wolf's cry let out. Everyone had been so caught up in the fight, they had forgotten about Tristan in the corner. They all looked to see Tristan, while still in the shape of a wolf, pulse from bigger to smaller. His eyes were dissipating from the evil red when he was bigger to the lightest color of ice-blue that looked almost as if they wasn't there when he was smaller. Then, once you grew accustomed to the ice-blue eyes, he grew bigger and red-eyed again. He was fighting it, but no one knew for sure who was winning.

Erogatе walked over in disbelief; momentarily forgetting about Sabrina. How could he be fighting off the spell in which He, Himself, had put over the boy? He must have more potential than he let on. Then Erogatе smiled. All the more reason to keep him by His side. Well, for now. He would have to get rid of this little brat before he started getting some ideas.

"Tristan! Don't worry, baby. I'm here. Everything's going to be alright. Just keep fighting it. That's right; you can do it!" Sabrina cheered him on, trying to help Tristan find his way through the bombardment of evil energy that Tristan had absorbed from Erogate at the beginning of the fight.

Tristan's eyes shot open ice-blue as he started to become mortal size again. But a problem aroused. He was crouched to the ground — and covered completely with black. You could not see him at all. It was almost like a shield was domed around him. As Raven walked closer from her hiding spot with Robin and Tina, yet still within the shield of wind, she saw that it wasn't a shield around him; it was feathers.

A slit formed in the middle. It continued to get bigger until the gap showed a head of long, silvery locks. Then you could see his back was attached to pitch-black wings which had created the dome around him and his half-naked body. He started getting up as Destiny helped him the rest of the way. Raven heard Sabrina speak to Tristan. "It's okay, baby."

"I'm no longer a baby, Mama. I am grown up, now." Tristan told his mother in a weak voice as she helped support her him so they could hobble over to Robin and Raven.

Raven heard their conversation more as they got closer. "No, you are all grown up, now. I just choose not to acknowledge that. I want to keep all of my babies safe. Maternal instinct." Sabrina said with a sad smile.

Tristan looked like he was about to pass out. He was having trouble breathing and was stumbling every few steps on the way to the wind shield. "Mama, with your predicament, _you _need more support than you can give." He told her as they finally made it.

Destiny gave a depressing smile to no one in particular. She was trying to be as positive as she could be. She just hoped she wouldn't depress Tristan because of his empathy. "That doesn't mean I still can't try." She told him as she laid him down on the asphalt so his head was on Tina's lap. Tina gently massaged his scalp and he relaxed.

"What about Erogatе, Mama? What do we do about him?" Tristan looked uneasy saying His name as he looked up at his mother and didn't want anything else except to have Raven stop staring at him. But she couldn't help it. He was a very attractive guy, even with the wings. He had a light, muscular build shown off by him only wearing snow-white pants made of a strange light but durable material accompanied with a some of the same material over it with high slits on the sides. His pale complexion and silvery hair were close in shade making it hard to find where one stopped and the other began. He was roughly a little over six feet without the shoes made of the same protective material as his clothes. All this made an impression of cherubic innocence, that is, all except his wings crying 'sin'. The black darkness was what reminded him he was not just his mother's child as proven by the black crescent moon on his forehead, but that he had a Father, too. One evil and deranged.

"Oh, there is nothing you can do about Me. _Nothing_. I am here to stay." His voice was a cruel icy whisper. The corner of His mouth gave a sickening grin. Erogate had let them get away to the protection of the shield of wind. He wanted to make them think they were safe, when in reality they were nothing but dolls for His amusement. He _would _use them and then when He was done he would kill them.

—Fin—

A/N: Sorry, again, you guys for getting this out so late! I hoped you liked it. I have some of the next chapter written already so it shouldn't be too much longer before it's out. Later!

Signed,  
Her Sappiness


	18. Ice Princess

Disclaimer: Nope.

**PLEASE READ CHAPTER SEVENTEEN BEFORE THIS ONE. BELIEVE ME, IT WILL MAKE A LOT MORE SENSE THAT WAY.**

Amongst the Quiet  
—Ice Princess—  
EIGHTEEN

"Tina, what _are _you doing?" Raven asked her as she transferred Tristan's head gently over to Raven's lap. In response, Tristan's face contorted in intense pain.

"Shut up and take him! He's in pain, so you'll have to be constantly healing him." Raven just looked at Tina in confusion. _Since when can Tina heal?_ "Ra_ven_!" Raven focused on Tina as she spoke, or more like _yelled _at her. "Heal. Him. _NOW_!" Tina nearly hissed as Tristan's face contorted in pain and the knuckles on his fists turned white from being clenched so tight. Raven observed all this and her composure turned serious. "Where should I heal?"

"Erogate placed a spell on Tristan's subconscious mind hoping that it would respond even if the rest of his mind doesn't." Tina told her as she looked at Tristan with her sorrowful eyes. "It is tearing him apart internally." She spoke in no more than a whisper as Raven nodded. Her hands glowed a soft blue on Tristan's head as she began to heal.

Tina stood up as Tristan's face finally relaxed when most of the pain subsided because of Raven's healing abilities. She slowly walked over to the shield between the heroes. . . and the deadly Demon. "What are you doing?" Robin panicked as Tina took one more step to the very edge of the shield.

Tina didn't look behind at Robin as she answered his question. "I'm doing what I should have done at the very beginning." She said it very calmly, serenely, almost as if she was in a trance. She knew the part she needed to play, and it would take more than one lethal Demon to keep her from doing it!

"Tina!" Robin exclaimed as she walked through the shield and over to Erogate. "Why won't anyone else stop her?" Raven looked uneasy, she knew Tina was walking to her own death, but she was so preoccupied with healing Tristan she hadn't noticed. Or so she told herself. Raven looked down at Tristan's hands as they went from tightly balled-up fists to uncurled spasming fingers. She jolted as she realized she had stopped healing from being too deep in thought and began once more. She needed to stop thinking and concentrate solely on Tristan. It was Tina's choice to run into a fight with Erogate. If it killed her then she only had herself to blame.

Robin looked up to the windstress, Sabrina. She looked at him when she felt his eyes on her. He wanted an explanation why she and Tristan just let someone who appeared to be someone they cared for out of the protective shield and into more danger than anyone should be exposed to. "Tina. . ." Sabrina halted to find the right words. ". . .is very loyal to the ones she loves and would do anything for them. You don't have to worry about her; she knows what she is doing." Robin opened his mouth to object again but was stopped by the certainty he saw in Sabrina's eyes.

He nodded. "If you say so." Sabrina smiled and turned to look where Tina was just about to encounter her greatest Foe, yet.

—

Tina walked within twenty feet of Him before stopping. She walked with her back straight, head held high, and her eyes focused on the Target. _I have to do this. . . for him._ She thought with absolute determination and a calm heart. She would need to continue that way if she were to succeed.

Erogate drank her aura in and couldn't resist the shiver that ran down His back as if there was ice touching His bare skin. He narrowed His eyes before speaking. "Who are you, little girl?" Although He would never admit to Himself or anyone else, He was slightly intrigued in this girl who could make Him, Erogate, shiver. It was quite a feat.

Tina looked Him in the eyes before answering with icy coldness. "Your opponent; that's all you need to know." Not one bit of her stuttered or showed any weakness. She wasn't afraid.

"Secretive, now, are we?" Erogate smiled sickly and laughed openly at the thought of a girl — a stupid girl at that — trying to intimidate _Him_! Erogate abruptly stopped laughing and narrowed His eyes at this girl. "Doesn't matter; you'll be dead soon enough." His ice-cold words didn't phase her as He thought they would.

Tina did not blink or avert her eyes as most would've at the immense power alongside His words and His penetrating gaze. _As long as He's defeated eventually, my sacrifice will be worth it._ She thought with no emotion, whatsoever.

Erogate was the kind of Thing that loved pain and suffering of others. He loved to hear them beg for mercy, for their life. Why couldn't He phase this _girl_?

He closed His eyes and looked for darkness within her heart as she stood still and determined as a statue. He jolted as He was rejected and pushed out from within her. What was worse was that all He found was hope, determination, loyalty, and love inside of her heart. However, there was an underlying darkness deep within her that He could not reach. He could not use her hidden darkness against her and torture her like He had with so many others. He scowled. He could not enjoy her until she squirmed with fear. He looked forward to fixing that. . . and _soon_.

Erogate's eyes locked onto her as she bent over slightly with her weight on the one leg in front and her back foot on her toes. She was in some sort of battle stance, ready to go head on with Him. She bent over a little more so the tips of her fingers met the tops of her knee-high boots.

"How do you plan on fighting _Me_? You have no weapon."

Her eyes narrowed. "On the contrary, I have more than you could ever imagine." After she spoke, the two engaged in a staring contest. Time stood still like a showdown in an old Western film. In the blink of an eye, Tina reached into the sides of her boots and extracted a weapon from each boot by the handle. Besides the crystal clear blade and the handle made of a very shiny metal, the weapon appeared to be a regular dagger. She flipped one through the air and caught the flat side of the blade in-between her thumb and fore finger. She did it so fast and thoughtlessly, it appeared that she had done it so many times it was like second nature.

"Your _human _toys won't hurt Me, you realize." Erogate sneered at the word 'human'.

"That's why I don't play with human toys." Tina moved her entire body with the strength she needed to throw the dagger she had between her two fingers.

Erogate had seen this coming even though the dagger had barely left her hands. Before the two birds realized she had thrown something, He held out His arm and a shield of darkness congregated around Him.

The dagger with a translucent blade seared through the air and, to everyone's surprise, attracted the darkness shield like a magnet and absorbed it before it pierced through Erogate's hand that He held out. The blade pierced through His hand completely, leaving the hilt sticking out of His palm.

No blood spilled from His hand, but you could tell Erogate was in pain by His wide eyes and ear piercing howl. None of this distracted Tina, she was determined to fulfill her goal. And nothing and no one would stand in her way. _No one_.

Tina closed her eyes for a moment and made a mad dash for Erogate while He was occupied with rare pain. She held the remaining dagger down to her side and the blade away from her body as she ran. Three feet before she made contact with Erogate, she spun three hundred and sixty degrees as she kept going forward and ran through His outstretched right arm with a full-length sword. The weapon had grown a longer and thicker blade as she had spun around. Still, you could see right through it as if it wasn't even there.

—

"I cannot believe she still has those." Tristan chuckled. As he opened his eyes, there was not a hint of pain partially because of Raven's healing. Also, with Erogate focusing on the battle with Tina, the spell He had placed on Tristan's subconscious mind was weakening. Tristan could finally think freely and speak without worrying about transforming once again.

"What do you mean?" Robin narrowed his eyes as he continued looking at the battle, but Tristan could sense it without looking at him. Raven looked confused, as well, but kept healing Tristan. All would be revealed eventually.

"I made those for her third birthday." Tristan answered with as much of a smile as he could accomplish in his state. He remembered fondly of his young years with her. _Those were truly blessed days_, he thought, _even though they were few_. Raven barely caught those thoughts floating around in his mind, but she caught them nonetheless. Her brow furrowed and she couldn't tell if she was feeling jealous or sad.

"How could you have made those?" Robin kept asking for the sake of his curiosity and also to prevent an awkward silence from coming over them. "They are some sort of metal and crystal maybe?" Robin inquired of the black-winged youth on the ground.

"I made them easily." Tristan answered. "All I had to do was find raw Atlantium and use darkness to bend it to my will and also infuse it with darkness. You see, Tina has the power of water, an element that has a certain amount of darkness in it naturally. So she can use the darkness in the ice to magnetically stick to the metal handles in any shape or form she wants it to be." He explained to them. "That way she can have any weapon she can possibly imagine."

"But how does she have powers? I thought she was human." Robin asked in confusion.

"You thought wrong." Sabrina answered Robin this time. "Tina is completely Atlantean." Raven knew then that was why Tina and Chris had been so close. They were two of the last handful of their race. It also explained why she could heal. "And because she is full-bred," Sabrina continued, "she holds tremendous power. Not as much as Tristan, but very close."

—

With Erogate's one arm cut off and the other's darkness being absorbed by her weapon sticking out of His palm, Tina thought that she had Him at as much of a disadvantage as she would get Him at because of His underestimating her. And it would not last very long. She probably wouldn't get this chance again until right before the fight ended, if she got one at all. And she knew that the fight would not end until both of them were dead or near it. So, even if she did get the chance again, she most likely could not do anything about it. It would have to be Sabrina or even possibly Tristan if he got himself together, but that was highly unlikely. Well, that is, unless Erogate's spell weakened as did His own body.

Tina tried to attack before His arm grew back, which she knew it would because she of Tristan's tremendous regenerative abilities that he had inherited from his Father, but even she could not move fast enough. Erogate's arm had already grown back almost faster than her trained eyes could follow. Before she could cut Him again with her double-edged sword, He gripped her wrists with gruesome force using His free hand. He made sure He did not to touch her blade or even the handle lest it absorb His abilities again.

However, a setback such as this would not stop Tina from accomplishing her role. Since she was still holding the handle to one of her Atlantean weapons, she used her ability over water to turn it into a spiked whip that wrapped around the Demon's new hand and arm so tightly He could not keep a hold of her wrist.

Noticing very quickly that her most likely Atlantean weapons would only absorb his dark energy, Erogate decided to use His other abilities. His eyes widened and glowed an eerie blood-red. Before Tina could wonder what He was about to do, a large, silver wolf was summoned out of nowhere and bit her hands between its sharp teeth and jumped her, knocking her over to the ground in the process.

Tina was determined not to let go of her only weapon at the moment, and held on to the handle of her spiked whip. It dug deeper into Erogate's flesh and created deep gashes as it slipped down His arm because of her full weight pulling on it. With Tina on the ground barely holding on to the handle of her whip, the wolf attacked her hands until she could not hold on to the handle any longer because her hands were such bloodied messes. Erogate unraveled the spiked whip by moving His arm in a circular motion, once again careful not to touch it anymore than He already was.

As Erogate finally rid Himself of her spiked whip and made sure it was on the ground where it was not touching Him, He called back His overly-large wolf. He did not want to use an animal to rid Himself of her. No, He would do it Himself and prove Himself stronger than the best of the Atlanteans! However, Tina was not done, yet.

—

Although free of most of his pain, Tristan's face was distorted as if in pain. However, it wasn't physical pain; it was a mixture of anguish, worry, and many more distressing emotions than Tristan thought he could ever feel. _She's getting hurt because I was too weak to protect her. _He couldn't help but think and Raven caught onto that thought as well as his internal pain. She could only frown as she heard that thought in his mind. He was being more open with his emotions and thoughts than Raven had seen in the past three months she had been dating him. He usually was so guarded that she could hardly ever tell what he was really thinking and feeling. He was still a mystery to her in so many ways.

Raven was honest with herself that she was feeling her jealousy build up inside because he was thinking about _her_; the other woman in the picture. She wondered what kind of relationship Chris and Tina had in the past if he was feeling this anxious about her safety. She then mentally smacked herself. _Of course he's worried about her; she's fighting a demon that even Chris couldn't take down with his extensive abilities. Besides, _she reassured herself, _he said she was like a sister and it's normal to be worried about family. Right?_ Even as much as she wanted to, Raven still couldn't replace her doubt with faith in her boyfriend and she hated herself for it.

Tristan couldn't help but sigh in defeat. In Tina's second most trying moment of her life, he couldn't be there for her just like he wasn't there for her six thousand years ago. Instead, he was sitting in the corner as useless as could be. "Mama?" He asked Sabrina. She nodded her head in acknowledgment. "Why is—" He paused for a moment, sighed, swallowed, and then got his entire question out even though he was slightly afraid of what the answer might be. "Why is Tina doing all this? This isn't her fight. She doesn't need to put herself in danger like this."

"There's a simple answer to that question. I'm sure you already know it, too." Sabrina looked briefly at her son, and then looked back at the ongoing fight before she spoke. "It's because, out of all the people, she will always be the one who truly knows you the most. And, no matter what you do or say to her, she will always love you more than anything."

Tristan, in his weakened state, could feel Raven's uncertainty and anxiety build up shortly before she almost stopped healing altogether. Her emotions were taking control of her and she was having a hard time focusing and controlling her abilities. Tristan was then in so much pain that he couldn't use his empathy to feel her or anyone's feelings. He could barely speak from the pain, and, although he wanted to reassure Raven that he loved her more than anyone, he needed to know more about Tina. _Why exactly is she doing this? Does she really love me that much? _"But _why_?" He managed to say in a strained voice which brought Raven back to reality and she realized she had nearly stopped healing Tristan. She started healing again as Sabrina answered him.

"That's because she knows what it is like to give out your entire heart and to receive nothing in return." Sabrina started to say after she was sure Tristan could hear her better without pain and hopefully accept Tina's reasons and emotions without feeling guilty. "She knows what it is like to be hated and to be lonely. You were both persecuted as children." Raven's eyes widened at the statement_. Tina was persecuted, too? Is that why they're so close? Is it because they have shared the same kind of pain?_ Raven thought as Sabrina kept speaking. "They would hit you and hurt you, yet you, Tristan, would do nothing in return to them. She admired you not only for that, but also for your strength to endure. And, because of that, she would follow your example. She would sit through the beatings and heal herself until the persecutors grew tired of her; but only because _you_ did. Otherwise, knowing her, she most likely would have hurt others._" Wait a minute, _Raven realized. _If she's an Atlantean and was persecuted as a child with Chris, does that mean she's also over six thousand years old? Did she go through the rise and fall of Atlantis with Chris? If that's true, then do I really have no chance?_ "You were like her personal savior. She held you in such high esteem, and loved that you loved her; that _someone _loved her." Sabrina finished, leaving Raven to doubt his love for her more than ever._ Did he love her in the past? Does he still love her now?_

—

After healing what were once her hands using the water molecules in the air, Tina stood up and faced the Monster with not a hint of fear. She knew what must be done in order for the world to return to normal; for everyone to be happy; for _him _to be happy. If it meant that Tristan would eventually be happy, she would be willing to make any sacrifice, whether it be her life or her abilities or anything else. She was ready to give up _everything_.

However, Erogate was only getting started. He created a whip out of darkness and cut off His other hand which held Tina's Atlantean dagger. Before the separated appendage could even touch the ground, it rotted away until there was nothing but the ice dagger left. His hand quickly grew back as He flung the whip at Tina. Even though she held up her other weapon, now a full-length sword, before the whip reached her; the darkness was so concentrated and powerful that it broke the blade so only the hilt remained. The weapon of pure darkness slashed open Tina's chest close to her heart. It was then that Erogate obtained the advantage.

As the ice blade shattered, Erogate could feel her fear spike in that one moment. It was that one shred of fear that would prove to be her undoing because her fear eased the barriers around the darkness in her heart. Erogate could then see a memory from her distant past in that darkness. It was of young Atlanteans crowding in around her with good sized stones in their hands. Their faces were lined with hatred and their eyes were blood-thirsty. Erogate could see one of the younger Atlanteans throw his stone at her head. Then, in order to heal herself, she gathered water from the air into her palm and quickly glanced at the reflection of her face with a huge gash on her forehead. It was then that Erogate caught a glimpse at her _real _face. He laughed openly as He realized who she really was and her ultimate weakness. _This is even easier than I thought!_ Erogate thought and smiled sickeningly. He knew exactly what to do.

The area surrounding Tina was suddenly filled with white fog and figures could be seen coming towards her in all directions. Tina couldn't see anything but the fog and the figures walking closer; even Erogate was covered by the fog. She quickly fingered for her other weapon on the nearby ground in expectation of the coming attack. At first, Tina couldn't make out the figures but then saw their wings as they slowly came out of the fog. They were Atlanteans and she knew exactly which ones. Her face blanched and her eyes widened in disbelief as she completely froze as her worst nightmare was becoming reality. She started backing away from those in front of her only to sense ones closing in from behind her. She was completely surrounded and had nowhere to go.

—

The foursome within the wind barrier could see each other, but nothing else because of the dense fog surrounding them. Soon, however, winged figures could be distinguished as they slowly enclosed Tina. The fog started to disperse as the figures walked closer to Tina. The four could then see her wide eyes and trembling body. They could tell she was witnessing absolute horror. Raven thought it was so unlike her. _What had she experienced in the past to make her this way? _Raven wondered. "What's happening to Tina?" She asked Sabrina since Chris seemed to be in so much pain he was barely conscious.

However, Sabrina only frowned. "Erogate can take one shred of fright and turn it into terror." She replied as if that were the answer to everything, but it didn't relieve Raven of her curiosity or her worry.

"She needs. . . help." Even though Tristan was barely able to speak, he strained his body by sitting up with much difficulty. When he sat up most the way, he hunched over in pain and held his head. He winced and groaned as something that looked like black electricity crackled about his head. Seeing him in such pain, Sabrina couldn't help but kneel down next to her son and lightly place her hands on the sides of his head. She shushed him and began to sing quietly. It was a dark, broken song that came forth from her lips. Robin and Raven could only assume it was some form of Atlantean spell.

After singing several measures of music, the black lightning ceased to crackle and Tristan seemed more at ease even though he was not completely well. Raven wondered why she didn't do that in the first place, but then Sabrina started to hold her side and breathe in and out almost laboriously. She nearly collapsed onto the pavement and was barely able to hold herself up with her free hand.

Tristan was able to sit up straight and put his hand on his mother's shoulder in reassurance. "Let me give you some of my power." He told her, but Sabrina shook her head before he could relieve the exhaustion her body felt from using that complicated spell. Tristan could only look at her with pity. Her false body was crumbling even more rapidly than before because of her using her abilities. If she kept this up, it wouldn't be long before her body completely disappeared and she would not be able to be brought back like before.

"No," she told him, "you need to save Tsunami with that power." She was still breathing heavy, but she was able to speak a little. Tristan shuffled his black wings as he stood up and nodded in compliance. "I _will _save her." He assured her and Sabrina used most of her leftover energy to smile at him, even though it was hindered by pain. "This time for certain." He promised.

"Who is Tsunami?" Robin asked the two Atlanteans, completely unaware of Raven's frown and downcast eyes. She couldn't help but feel the jealousy rise up in her. She wanted to be his and only his.

"It's Tina's birth name." Tristan replied.

"You weren't able to help her before?" Robin inquired of Tristan and didn't receive an answer for several moments. Instead, both he and Sabrina averted their eyes and wouldn't look at anyone else.

"I. . ." he started and then waited a few moments before he could find it in him to speak. "Six thousand years ago, when she was fourteen, she went off by herself to look at the ocean near Atlantis. It was her place of solitude whenever she was upset. But, you see, she was gone for a long time and I grew worried. I rushed there only to find her broken and bloody body." Raven and Robin both gasped. "She had been stoned to death by other Atlanteans. That's why she is so terrified by this situation. Erogate must have figured out who she is and is now using the memory of her death to keep her from fighting back." He told them after swallowing a lump in his throat. "I wasn't able to save her then, but I will this time." He finally looked up in determination before he stretched his wings and flew out of the shield of wind. He only hoped he could keep her from dying again. "I have to save my little sister."

It was then that Raven finally understood the bond between the two of them. They weren't lovers. They were _siblings_.

—

Tina was so struck with fear, she couldn't keep a hold of her two weapons. They tumbled to the ground and she would've fainted if it weren't for a certain voice calling out to her. Not only that, but he was calling out her name. Her _real _name. One she hadn't answered to for thousands of years. "Tsunami!" Silent tears fell from her eyes as she saw _him _flying down to her. Tristan was there beside her before she knew it and he was holding onto her arm to help keep her upright. She forgot about her predicament at that moment and the fog began to lift a little. However, it went by unnoticed by Tina and Tristan. "What are you doing here, you idiot?" She asked him in dismay and not annoyance. "Can't you see I'm trying to save you?"

However, Tristan only smiled at her. "You're the one that needs saving." He knelt down and picked up her two Atlantean weapons which did not have any blades of ice. "These are yours." He said quietly as he carefully put one into each of her hands. In response, Tina nodded and gripped them tightly. After that, when she remembered where she was and what was going on, the fog thickened again. Tina began to shrink back at the sight of her murderers, but then she heard Tristan's reassuring, clear voice. "I lost you once. I'm not going to lose you again." He told her and she believed him. The fog began to lift again as the images of the Atlanteans around them started dispersing, but this time they noticed. "Remember that Erogate is only powerful when you have fear. He is powerless if you are not afraid. You have control over the situation."

"Got it." She replied and closed her eyes, trying her best to displace her fears. She felt Tristan's hand on her shoulder and she relaxed as she felt him drain her of her negative emotions. It worked. Soon, Erogate's illusion unraveled and dispersed. He was furious to put it mildly that His son was ruining everything. Yet, He knew He would have His fun still. If Tristan got in the way, well, that wasn't His problem. Not if the little mutt refused to help Him. Erogate doubted Tristan would die with the incredible regenerative abilities He had given him through His blood.

Erogate soon decided on a plan of action. It had worked once, wouldn't it work again? He gathered a large amount of dark energy together into a sphere. Before the siblings could react due to being focused on erasing Tina's anxiety and fear, Erogate released the energy in a swift attack that rushed past Tristan and struck Tina. However, it didn't just strike her. Oh, no. Erogate wasn't that kind. Instead, it penetrated her body so much that it actually went through her leaving a large gap in her gut and wrecked the buildings behind her.

Tina's eyes rolled back and she collapsed from the pain. Tristan immediately rearranged her body so she was lying on her back rather than her front. She was breathing harshly and losing a large amount of blood. Tristan knew that if she stayed in her human form, she would undoubtedly die. So, using his forefinger, he touched the black crescent moon on his forehead and then tapped Tina's with the same finger. An identical mark appeared and her body turned into a clear blue gelatin-like substance and changed. Her facial features changed, her hair grew longer into six sections with ribbon tying it into place, her clothes turned into a close-fitting leather top with a midriff and a matching leather skirt that draped mostly over her left leg, and she grew large wings. After a moment, her gelatin-like body solidified with her stomach intact. Her coloring was strange, like her brother's. She had blue hair, silver wings, a pink and silver leather outfit, and she finally opened her violet eyes after a moment without a hint of pain.

"Welcome back," Tristan said to his younger half-sister, "Princess Tsunami." She nodded in response and smiled as if this was her happiest day of her life, rather than potentially her last. Now that she was back in her original body and not a false human one, her power had tripled because she could channel it better. They could win this one. They would or they would die trying. Nothing could hold them back anymore.

—Fin—

A/N: I don't even want to know how long it has been since I've updated this story so please don't remind me. I just hope somebody is still reading this fanfic. I finally finished "Troubled Mind" so I can finally focus on my others. Yay! I've actually had this one mostly done for a while. I just didn't know how to end the chapter. I have most of the next one written, too, so it should come out soon. Please let me know if you like it. I hope this wasn't too long. . . I think it was ^^' I've become quite a blabbermouth lately. I hope it isn't too annoying. Well, enough of me.

Signed,  
Her Sappiness


	19. Redemption Is A Strange Thing

**A/N: I have one more OC in this chapter, but I promise it's the last one! She's important to the fight, but I think she'll only be in this one chapter.**

Disclaimer: Teen Titans me no ownee. Only the OCs.

Amongst the Quiet  
—Redemption is a Strange Thing—  
NINETEEN

"Mama!" Everyone turned around to see a young girl of thirteen running towards the shield they were in and actually _penetrate _it. So far, nothing had been able to do that. Tina and Tristan had gone _out_, but nothing yet had found its way _in. _The girl's hair was the same shade of pale gold as Destiny's. In fact, she was almost identical to Destiny, save that she was much younger and her two eyes were slightly different tints of dark brown instead of deep blue.

Destiny, now mostly recovered from her use of power previously, looked alarmed at the young girl's decision to appear at the battleground. "Galatea, what are you doing _here_?" She asked in distress.

Galatea was not intimidated by her mother's stare. She clenched her fists in front of her chest and determinedly spoke to her. "I know how to stop Him," she told her firmly. "I _can _do this."

Destiny's gaze was no longer so sharp. Instead, she shook her head slightly and spoke as if she were slightly amused. "No."

Galatea would not be deterred by this little setback. "But—" she started but was interrupted by her mother.

"No." Destiny said firmly and without amusement this time. "I'm sorry, Galatea, but," Destiny look ed her daughter in the eye, "this isn't your fight."

Galatea looked shocked by Destiny's words. However, she was a naturally stubborn girl. Perhaps even more than the mother she had gotten it from. "Erogate needs to be stopped. You know Tristan and Tsunami — even with their power _combined _— cannot stop Him. They simply lack the power and experience."

"Do you honestly think I don't know this?" Destiny asked Galatea. "Do you really think I am that stupid, or that I am so weak that I cannot sense His power?" Galatea didn't reply, but held her mother's glance. "I know they cannot win no matter what they do. But that doesn't mean they still cannot _try_. This is their fight, and to a certain extent they _know _they will lose. But that doesn't mean make it any less their fight. Understood?"

Galatea submitted and looked down. "Yes, Mama."

She didn't feel discouraged for long. "Don't worry. You're up next." Destiny winked at her and Galatea instantly perked up and gave a enthusiastic nod.

Raven wasn't outraged by this, instead more frustrated than anything else about being the last to know that Tristan might as well be dead. And they hardly gave it a second thought! If Galatea was Destiny's daughter, then she would at least share the same mother as Tristan and Tsunami. They were _family_. Shouldn't they be more concerned and actually _help_ rather than watching the two of them fight until their demise?

"Don't worry about my two half-siblings. They aren't going to die. Even if they did, I could always bring them back." She told Raven and both her and Robin looked at her peculiarly.

"You— you can bring back the dead?" Robin looked at her unbelievingly. How did she acquire such as uncanny ability? Were all Atlanteans this powerful?

"I might be a quarter human and the youngest of my mother's children, but I am also her heir." Galatea paused as the two birds gave her an 'and-that-means. . .' look. "My mother was the last Queen of the original Atlantis before it fell. As something called an Ultimate Guardian, one in the MoonSong family may have the power of Life, Death, or Life and Death to control, but there is only one per generation and it always goes in that order. My mother was an Ultimate Guardian of Life and Death, meaning I, as next in line, can only control Life and my future son will control the power of Death."

Raven was feeling helpless right then. She wasn't doing anything. Before she had been healing Tristan, but now here she was; sitting and passing pleasantries with someone from her boyfriend's ever increasing family. Doing nothing productive. "How do you know you are going to have a son?" She finally asked to relieve herself from her uselessness.

"Well, I'll have to." Galatea answered. "Men are the only heirs that can control Death because they take away life, and women can only control the power of Life as life-givers, themselves. This was how it was supposed to be, that is, until the third heir came about; a girl who could control both. And that is the crude cycle that governs the lives of the Ultimate Guardians."

Robin looked up and asked the question this time. "I am not understanding. Why is that so horrible?"

Destiny looked forward to the ongoing fight before answering Robin. "Mainly, because. . . the sole purpose for an Ultimate Guardian is to breed and then be slain by those they have bred." Robin's masked eyes widened and Raven averted hers. "We can't die, you see, unless by the hands of another Ultimate Guardian. That's why I ran full throttle into the battle with Erogate. He can't kill me; I am incapable of dying, again. Only by the means of my father or Galatea can I finally rest."

An awkward silence filled the air as Robin and Raven could not look at any of the others and Destiny watched the fight. "Galatea?"

"Yes, Mama?"

"It might be a while before Tristan and Tsunami will be finished fighting. Meanwhile, I would like you to tell these two a story."

"I think I know just the one." Galatea smiled as wide as the dawn, lighting up her features, and began. "Raven?" She inclined her head, though unsure of this new character. She sensed immense power from such a young person. But, then again, who knew her _real _age? "Do you know where demons, such as Trigon and Erogate, come from?"

Raven thought for a few moments, she was caught off-guard by the question and realized she had never given it much thought, if at all, before. "From other dimensions, surely."

"No." Galatea answered matter-of-factly. "They were originally from Earth, or Titania as it was called tens of thousands of years ago when they were created."

"Wait, wait, wait." Raven hastily blurted out into the conversation. "Hold up." She said a little less rapidly, but nonetheless intense. "Someone created demons? As in on purpose?"

"Not exactly," Galatea told her. "Nothing can be gained without first sacrificing some thing dear. Atlanteans are only human ourselves, as we are all born as humans, you see. On our fifth birthday, or Wing Day as we called it, a close Atlantean representative, usually a parent, can call forth our deity Song's power in order to transform us and grow wings. Our wings grant us our power. Only those known as 'guardians' are born with wings. However, there is a catch to be granted power. In order to gain the abilities our wings grant us, we most first sacrifice most of our emotions. This want of power was a very selfish desire, and some of the humans weren't used to the power they gained. They once again used it for vain purposes. This want transformed them from a beautiful Atlantean, or angelic creature, into a most distorted one only allowed to feel emotions like wrath, gluttony, vanity, sloth, pride, envy, and lust. The seven deadly sins, if you recall. They grew ugly and hatred for all those who possessed beauty. My foremother, the first Ultimate Guardian, grew tired of the slaughter and the transformations as others were pulled to the other side. So, she created another dimension among the stars and confined them all there. They interbred and even more came about, but for the most part they were not able to leave. But some cases, like Erogate and Trigon, they were summoned out, breaking the seal for that one demon." Galatea sighed as she looked to the fight going on just beyond the shield of wind. She looked to her mother. "They need to stop, now. Pull them back. Please, Mama ."

"If that is what you wish, then fine." Destiny took a long breath and sang a few notes as Erogate was pushed into a large building by a gust of wind, immediately crashing atop of him. Destiny sang a few more notes in another melody, making Tristan and Tsunami appear before them inside the barrier.

Raven kneeled beside Tristan, who was trying hard to catch his breath, and Robin watched Raven carefully, lovingly(?), hold him upright in her arms. They didn't notice that Galatea was no longer with them.

A fog swept across the entire city, for a few minutes even upon Destiny and those in her barrier, blocking out all sight and sound. When it had passed everyone gasped at the sight around them. Had they died? For they swore everything around them looked like Heaven. All the buildings an wreckage was gone. Instead, fields of tall grasses and wild flowers stretching farther than one could see, light blue skies with faint clouds instead of the darkened sky, and a blinding, golden sun high above the clouds.

There was no one there. Well, no one besides a little girl in a white, simple dress. Her sunset gold hair shielded her face from view as she held a wild flower in front of her. But who was she? Raven wanted to speak out and warn her of the dangerous Demon about. However, she was either too awed or unable to speak. She wasn't sure which. She almost couldn't watch. She knew this poor little girl was going to be killed in the most gruesome of ways.

As Raven feared, Erogate then appeared out of nowhere next to the little girl. The wind lovingly brushed past the two, caressing their hair and clothes as it whipped them about. "_Are you lost?_" Asked the girl with no more than a hushed whisper.

"Who are you?_" _Erogate asked in a harsh, almost savage tone. He knew this little and insignificant girl was no threat to Him. However, He still was very cautious to what this person might be. Something about the way she talked or maybe everything around her made her seem more than she appeared.

"_Sir, are you lost?_" The girl asked once more, but this time with an edge of urgency. A stiff breeze carrying the scent of lavender blew around them, caressing each and every pore on their bodies. Little did He know His body was being transformed partially. All of a sudden, Erogate did not look as frightening anymore. While His tail and ears were still present, they were fluffy and well-groomed. His fangs and claws were gone and His eyes had turned from blood red back to an icy blue. His clothes were not as filthy and mocking as previous. They had been partially purified from his demon existence and were white and clean.

"Am I lost?_" _Erogate felt a wave of tranquility flood through Him and lost the desire to fight and rebel. He had never felt like this before. He was. . . _serene_. It was a disorienting, but not unpleasant, feeling. He did not realize the changes that He had undergone as of yet.

"_I can help you_." The little girl told the Demon with all sincerity. Her voice was soft and reassuring. It did not occur to Erogate that He and the five onlookers were in the midst of a very complicated spell.

"Who would want to help_ Me?" _The Demon asked bitterly. As He had never felt serene before, He had never examined His resentment before. It was starting to build up as He thought of His life trapped among the stars with other beings who had no compassion or love for another. It seemed as if lust, pride, greed, and revenge were all that mattered. That was when He remembered Destiny, the representative of Song, was nearby. How long had He wanted to take revenge against the deity whom had sealed them up in such a desolate dimension? The little girl lied. No one wanted to help Him. They would only get in the way.

"_I would_." The little girl reassured Him and He felt another wave of peacefulness push Him into submission. No longer did He think of revenge or how He could hurt others. The wind that rushed past Him tranquilized all of those feelings to the point that Erogate couldn't remember if they were even there to begin with.

"But why?_" _He asked simply. He could not understand this little girl and her spirit of forgiveness and helpfulness. Shouldn't she detest Him for being so hideous and His past actions? He was trying to kill Tsunami just now and Tristan if he got in the way. Shouldn't she find those actions despicable?

"_Take my hand." _The girl demanded of Him and He complied after only a few moments of thought. At the touch of His hand a change immediately went over the girl. From her hands went a surge of magic. As the surge went through her body — it changed. Her shift was no longer white nor simple. It was an elegant gown for an elegant, mature body consisting of a beautiful cream color for the base and golden trim. The girl then looked up to reveal a black crescent moon on her forehead, as was the mark of the MoonSong's. She wore a warm and sincere smile on her face and in her eyes. It was if she was truly happy to see Him — like seeing a long, lost friend for the first time in ages.

"But I–I hurt you._" _Erogate objected as He rejected the sincerity of this girl, no, this woman. She looked just like the woman He had raped as part of the price of being brought through dimensions for a short period of time. He had hurt her so much. How is it He had never thought of this until now?

"_No, you did not. You hurt my mother._" The woman told Him. So, she was Destiny's daughter. That explained why they looked so similar. The only difference between the two of them was that this woman had two brown eyes of slightly different hues instead of blue.

Only one question popped into Erogate's mind._ "_Do you. . . _hate _Me?" He found it was the only thing He could speak. He had never wanted to be accepted by anyone ever in His entire life before. He found it unsettling. However, He could not help the emotions He was feeling. It was as if another side of Him had been uncovered.

"_No, I do not."_ She told him and He looked at her skeptically. _"I grieve, yes, that you hurt my mother. But, if not for you, I would not have such a wonderful brother._" He could barely believe what He was hearing.

"You. . . _love _him?_" _He asked hesitantly.

She looked at Him quizzically. "_Should I not?_" She asked Him. He found He had no words to say. He was confused. How could she, or anyone really, feel this way about any demon? Could she learn to love and accept Him as she had His half-demon son?

Finally, Erogate looked at her in the eyes and spoke after a long absence of words. "Who exactly are you?" He knew the woman was Destiny's daughter. But He did not know where she had learned this love or what she was.

"_I am not the one who banished you from this world, nor am I the one you hurt when you returned._" She told Him, yet the question still remained.

"Who?" He asked, not wanting to know her name, but what she was.

"_A completely different entity_." She answered Him and He accepted it. Of course, Destiny never would have forgiven Him. But could this woman do so instead?

There was a silence before she spoke again. "_I, too, will rebuild Atlantis._" She told the Demon. He had tried to resurrect Atlantis by means of His son. Through his power and inheritance, Tristan should have been able to do it. However, He had not wanted to. He had resisted and had jeopardized the Demon's ambition.

"How will you do such?_" _He asked the woman. Surely if He, Erogate, could not, she would not be able to accomplish such a feat!

She did not answer His question directly. "_One where everyone will be happy._" She said, instead.

This intrigued the Demon. _"_Hap-py?" What would it be like to be happy? He was sure He had never felt that way before. He could only recall cruelty from His fellow demons and the apathy from being expelled from the supposed utopian society of Atlantis tens of thousands of years prior.

"_Yes." _She confirmed. _"What you see around you is the future._" The woman told Him and He took a good look around them for the first time. Tall, healthy grasses, a beautiful blue sky with puffy white clouds, and abundant wild flowers like the one in her hand.

It was a complete contrast from the blood-red sky dotted with thick smoke for clouds, the ever scorched land, and few patches of parched vegetation in the dimension He called home. It was different for certain, but was it ideal for a demon? "How is that possible?" He asked her. How could she show Him the future? And was it truth?

"_It is a power I possess."_ She told him with her beauteous and soothing voice. He found Himself transfixed with her and the sound of her voice. _"If I can change the world from where it was a few moments ago to this— can I not also transform You?"_

Erogate's eyes widened. Could it really be? "You will — you _are _going to change Me?" He didn't know if this change would be a welcome one. Would she do it if He was unwilling?

"_Only if You desire such. Then I will be happy to grant Your request." _She told Him, "Is _that what You want?_" He only had to think for a moment. He nodded His head. He realized He wanted the peace very much. He wanted to try this happiness she had exuded. He had no doubt He would be happy. He would leave behind the bitterness and hatred. She would be renewed. Transformed. And, He smiled.

She held out the hand that still gripped the fragile wildflower from the field they were standing in. The Demon slowly, as if uncertain, held out His own hand to take the flower. As soon as He had touched the flower of kindness and love, He was transformed. The woman kneeled before the young five-year-old boy in front of her. He had beaming gray eyes and whitish blonde hair. "Thank you." He whispered. And then He disappeared.

—Fin—

A/N: Sorry for not updating. I thought nobody was reading it so I stopped writing. Well, that's not exactly true. I had this partially written for years and checked it out from time to time. Also, I've written and rewritten most of the last few chapters of this fanfic. (I there 's about five more and an epilogue). And, I started writing a sequel! But that was mainly just for fun. I don't know if I'll post it or not. Let me know what you think.

Review!

Signed,  
Her Sappiness


	20. Rejection

Disclaimer: It's not mine! Really, I swear! (But it really isn't polite to swear. Kids, don't try this at home.)

Amongst the Quiet  
—Rejection—  
TWENTY

The entire world seemed to shift from a blissful dream to an unpleasant nightmare which they knew to be reality. No longer was the world altered under a spell. Instead, a demolished downtown Jump was in sight. It would take years to repair. However, they did not focus on that. Their main priority was to take care of the injured. And Tristan sincerely hoped now that this dreadful experience was over, he and Raven could speak freely about their relationship.

Tristan had known from early on why Silas had set the two of them up. Raven had a remarkable spirit. She could speak her mind and yet relate to Tristan in a way not even Tsunami could. Silas had known that being with Raven would change him for the better. With Erogate coming, Tristan had to learn to say no and stand up for himself. If he was his own reluctant self that hated conflict when Erogate came, a hellish Atlantis would have emerged, enslaving the humans, if not forthright killing them. The world would never have been the same. Raven made that change in him during the few months they had met and dated. She changed him and it had saved the world. But now that the mission had been accomplished, was it necessary for it to continue?

Tsunami sat with her brother where the wind barrier had once been. She was still catching her breath. Tristan seemed fine because of his regenerative abilities, but sat with her until he had the courage to do what he knew needed to be done. Destiny and her daughter Galatea shared a glance. They knew what was going on in Tristan's head and were sobered by the thought. They silently agreed to let the future take its course without them in the picture.

Galatea surprisingly broke the silence first. She had resumed her thirteen-year-old body and walked over to her older half-sister. "Tsunami, I am going to repair your human body so you can resume your life as if none of this had happened. You don't have to worry anymore. It's over." She paused and gave a sigh of relief. "It's _finally _over." They had all known this day would come for over six thousand years and had feared its outcome for that whole period of time.

Tsunami nodded her head and took Galatea's outstretched hand to help raise herself up. She took one last look at her elder brother, reassuringly placed her hand on his shoulder for no longer than a moment, shared a knowing look with him, then was on her way. She knew he wouldn't want any sympathetic words. The three Atlanteans walked away from Tristan and the two birds. Raven didn't know what was said between the family members or if anything had been said at all, but knew some level of understanding had passed through them. Whatever it had been, by the emotions she had picked up and the looks they gave each other, she knew it wasn't very happy. They had just battled and bested Erogate. What could be bad about that?

Tristan stood up with remarkable grace and shuffled his dark wings behind him before walking over to the two Titans. They waited for him to walk the short distance between them and speak. He looked at Raven with longing in his eyes and was about to push a stray lock of her hair behind her ear before thinking better of it. "Raven?"

She looked at her boyfriend. He was showing many emotions. Many more than she remembered seeing before. Sadness. Longing. Anxiety. Nervousness. Perhaps regret? "Yes?" She asked, nearly afraid of what was about to be said.

Tristan sighed before taking her hand in his and squeezing it gently in reassurance. "We need to talk." He looked at the red bird over to the side. "Robin, you should hear this, too." Robin nodded in agreement. Something important was about to happen. He just didn't know what it would be.

Tristan closed his eyes for a few moments and took a deep breath in. It seemed to calm him down. He had finally summed up his courage to say this. He opened his eyes. "Raven," he looked at her and his eyes suddenly became tender, "we have two choices right now." He swallowed. "The first one is to stay with me and have a blossoming love that will mold us together forever."

Robin narrowed his eyes but said nothing. Why did he have to listen to this? Was this just to boast about Tristan's triumph over him about the one thing he truly cared about?

Tristan continued. "Or the second. We would stay friends with nothing between us but a mutual understanding of what each other are and of all the consequences. I'm afraid those are the two only choices in our future." He saw her open her mouth to answer but he cut her off before she could say anything that she might not mean or might regret. "Please wait. Before you choose, let me speak my share."

"Raven, there is no other person like you anywhere. I mean,_ anywhere_. And I would give anything to keep you but, considering the two choices fate has handed us. . ." He let go of her hand that he had held until then. "Raven. I love you, know that first and foremost." He looked her in the eyes and all she could see in the window to his soul was pain. Sheer heartbreak. What else was he going to say? _"But _it would be too hard. I can hardly keep control of the little portion of power I do know how to use. And you would have to keep control of your emotions just to stay neutral. . ."

"Let's say we got married," he continued, "which would undoubtedly happen if you choose one, and we had a child, accidentally or planned. That child would be two kinds of powerful demon. Who knows? They might not be able to control it as well as we can, or might be able to control it too well, or it might have more control over them. And they would also be one quarter Atlantean. Let's just say that Atlanteans, especially in the royal line, have proved to be. . . conceited and arrogant. Not to mention uncaring, selfish, hot- and hardheaded. Do you see all the errors that could and would happen?"

"Yes, but Chris— er Tristan," Raven objected, "I love you and I know we could work things out." How could he say all those things to her? Didn't he just say he loved her? "We can get through things as long as we work together. Please just don't leave me alone!"

"Don't worry," Tristan said reassuringly, but his eyes held such sadness that Raven furrowed her brow in worriment. What was he going to say? "I won't leave you alone." Raven would have felt cross if she wasn't so confused. First he claimed he loved her. Then he decided they should part. And then he said he wouldn't leave her alone. What was he getting at? "Raven?" His eyes grew tender for the moment he spoke her name.

Raven wasn't sure about the look in his eyes. "Yes, Tristan?" She asked and at once felt calmness wash over her. He always had that effect on her. She had grown addicted to the tranquility his presence gave her. Would she really have to live without it?

"Will you kiss me?" He requested of her and she found she could not refuse him. Although they had been dating three months, they had hardly been intimate. This would be their first kiss. At the thought, Raven blushed momentarily. After recovering, she closed her eyes and tilted her head up so the much taller boy wouldn't have to lean down so far. As his lips molded to hers, she realized that nothing happened. "See?" Tristan told her as he leaned away from her face. "Nothing explodes when you are near me. Now, what happens when you kiss Robin?"

Raven still did not know what was going through that head of his. "It is total chaos. Things explode left from right," she answered. What was he getting at?

Tristan's eyes began to grow serious, although not indifferent. "Do you know why that is?" He asked her simply.

She pondered over it for a minute. "No."

"Because what you feel for me is not genuine," he told her as he shut his eyes as tightly as he could in this ever painful moment. "You thought you loved me, but that feeling isn't actually there." He could hardly speak those words for he loved her that much. It was the most painful and heart-wrenching thing he had ever needed to mouth. He had never sought conflict before. Instead, he had always avoided it by any and all means possible. However, Raven had changed him. He now could say the things that needed to be said even though he wished with all his heart and soul that he didn't have to. But these words were necessary.

"Like I said, I won't leave you alone," he promised her. "Instead, I'll leave you in good hands that will take good care of you forever. You'll be with someone who loves you more than life itself, someone who will be there no matter what, and someone more your age." Tristan with gentle hands turned Raven around so that she saw Robin.

She felt love consume her as she looked over to her friend, her teammate; but, more importantly, the man she had loved very much. Where was all this feeling coming from and why did she just now feel it? She didn't know. However, it was almost overwhelming.

She was staring at him as this feeling washed over her. Robin merely looked back at her with wide open eyes. Was this for real? Was she really considering him over the man she had just sworn to love? Robin found he didn't care. She was coming back, no, she was coming _home_ to him. That was all that mattered.

"Robin, I'm so sorry. Can you ever forgive me?" Raven ran over to Robin and wrapped her arms around his neck like there was no tomorrow. Robin returned the embrace by pressing her to him with one arm and had the other buried in her hair. They stood there for moments that seemed eternity for the wincing observer.

Robin shortly regained composure and noticed that buildings and lampposts were consumed in black energy. When they did not explode, he looked immediately over to Tristan. He was holding his hand out a bit and seemed to be concentrating. His eyes were closed tight. He obviously did not want to view anymore, even though his empathetic abilities would show more than his eyesight could ever.

The worse thing for Robin was to see his adversary just _stand there_. He was about to let go, for good, and was cherishing these last short, but painful, memories. That would be all he would have left. Robin felt bad for him. He was taking away the world for someone else. And Tristan wasn't doing a thing to stop it. He was there, frozen in the stream of time.

Tristan opened his eyes to view Raven all over Robin, asking for his forgiveness. He gave a very sad smile as a single tear fell from his eyes. Was this what it was to cry? To feel such sorrow, yet be able to smile? Why did it have to be _now _that he cried his first? He wanted to be happy for her_, _to say "good luck" or "congratulations". But he could not utter a single word.

As Tristan opened and closed his eyes, he could not help but feel like he was asleep. It was that same lifeless, fake feeling as a bittersweet dream. Yet he knew it was real. He _knew _it was and there was nothing he could do about it.

—

The three people left in what was left of downtown Jump were so wrapped up in their emotions they did not notice a particular blue-eyed boy in a forest green shirt who had been there longer than they had. _So this is how it turned out. . . _The boy, Silas, sadly smiled.

After the three heroes dispersed to their respective places, they never picked up how the next day downtown had mysteriously reassembled back together_, _as if nothing had ever taken place there or how the people never remembered anything about evacuating, nor about the emotional display of our three young heroes.

—Fin—

A/N: I'm finally done with this chapter! I have to say, it was hard, but I'm glad the two birds are back together. Anyone else feel the same? I only have a few chapters left. Most are partially written, so hopefully it won't take too long. For those watching "Troubled Hearts", I have four pages done of the chapter four, but need to add a little more to finish the chapter off. And those looking for the next "Vacation Troubles". . . Well, I have the gist in my mind, but I just can't get the words out. I have one page done, but the chapter is going to be super long. Hopefully it will be worth the wait.

Signed,  
Her Sappiness


	21. Static

Disclaimer: Not the songs. Not the Titans. Just Chris, Tina, Silas, and Sabrina.

Amongst the Quiet  
—Static—  
TWENTY-ONE

He sat on the floor with his back to his bed. His knees were huddled to his body and his arms protectively held them closer as his fists and teeth clenched. It hurt. It hurt a lot. This wasn't just some physical wound he could heal within seconds; it was an emotional scar. Something he would always be reminded of no matter how long he lived.

He had given the most precious thing to him away. No, not thing; _person_. He knew he loved her. He loved her more than anything. But he gave her up just the same. _It was for her benefit_, he reminded himself, because, in the end, she didn't love him the way he loved her. In fact, she didn't love him at all. And _that _is what hurt the most. It wasn't the fact that he had to give her up. No, he loved her so unselfishly that he wanted her to be happy — even if it meant she was without him _for the rest of her life_. All he would ever have left of her was the three months they dated. All he would have were memories. It was then and there he promised himself he would stay out of her life as much as possible.

He turned on his black boom box with his powers and tried to listen to the radio to distract him from his inner turmoil. However, no matter what station he tuned to, he could not help but think those lyrics were written for him and his situation.

_"So I'll drive so f***ing far away that I'll never cross your mind  
And do whatever it takes in your heart to leave me behind_

_"Hate me today_  
_Hate me tomorrow_  
_Hate me for all the things I didn't do for you_  
_Hate me and wait, yeah wait for it to swallow_  
_Hate me so you can finally see what's good for you_

_"And when the sad hard eyes say bye to you and wave  
Kicking shadows on the street for every mistake that I have made. . ."_

There was static as Chris changed the station with his mind. The song had only made the pain that much more unbearable.

"_So you sailed away into a gray sky morning Now I'm here to say love can be so boring  
Nothing's quite the same now. I'm just saying hey now  
But it's not so bad; you're only the best I ever had  
You don't want me back; you're just the best I ever had. . ."_

Static was heard as Chris changed to the next station_._

"_Hope you remember me  
When you're homesick and need a change  
I miss your purple hair  
I miss the way you taste. . ."_

Chris hastily changed the station, leaving static to be heard.

"_Damn! I wish I was your lover. . ."_

There was static.

"_Take a good hard look_

"_I'm not okay  
I'm not okay  
I'm not okay. . ."_

More static.

"_Cause she's bittersweet  
She knocks me off of my feet  
And I can't help myself  
I don't want anyone else  
She's a mystery  
She's too much for me  
But I keep comin' back for more  
Oh, I keep comin' back for more  
She's just the girl I'm lookin' for  
Just the girl I'm lookin' for. . ."  
_

And more static.

"_And it breaks my heart, to know,  
The only reason you are here now  
Is a reminder of what I'll never have.. I'll never have. . .  
I'll never. . ."  
_

And even more static.

"_She had some trouble with herself  
He was always there to help her  
She always belonged to someone else. . ."  
_

Chris held his head as he heard the static once more.

"_To think I might not see those eyes  
Makes it so hard not to cry  
And as we say our long goodbye  
I nearly do. . ."_

There was static again as Chris shut his eyes tightly.

"_But you, you're not allowed  
You're uninvited  
An unfortunate slight. . ."_

Static.

"_Why do we crucify ourselves?  
Every day I crucify myself  
Nothing I do is good enough for you  
Crucify myself  
Every day I crucify myself  
And my heart is sick of being in chains. . ."_

Make the static go away. . .

"_And I don't know if  
I can make a new start  
I'm bleeding inside  
_'_Cause you broke my heart. . ."_

The channel changed. There was static in the air.

"_And it's been awhile  
Since I've seen the way the candles light your face  
And it's been awhile  
But I can still remember just the way you taste. . ."_

"No!" He shouted and his eyes glowed red. The music stopped as the boom box exploded from the abundance of dark magic, but Chris barely noticed. He groaned as he stood up and held his head in his hands. Why was he so dizzy? His head felt crowded. It was like. . . he wasn't the only one in there. Chris' eyes widened. There was definitely a separate entity in his head. But who was it? _What _was it? He didn't know, and before he could find out, he fell to the floor from the dizziness and passed out on top of the pieces of his shattered boom box.

—

"Chris? Chris, are you alright?" Tina asked as she knocked rather loudly on the door to his private bedroom. Something wasn't right. She had at first heard a loud shattering noise. She had come out into the hallway to hear something large hit the floor inside Chris' apartments. She knew something had happened or was happening to him. But what was it? She had opened the door to his apartments to find all the lights off and wandered in the dark to his bedroom door to find it locked.

"Chris, you are starting to scare me. . . Say something; anything!" She pleaded, but he didn't answer. She knew he wasn't ignoring her. Something was definitely wrong. She could feel something almost evil emanating from behind the door. It scared her, but she knew she had to help him. If she could battle Erogate without looking back, she could definitely go behind his door and help whatever was happening to her brother!

Tina melted onto the floor into a puddle of water and slid under the door. After materializing again, she looked at her elder brother. He was laying on the floor on top of pieces of a broken boom box with his eyes closed. He wasn't asleep, though. She could tell that much. To her limited empathic abilities he felt. . . unstable. There was no other way to put it. Something was wrong internally. It was like he was battling something within. Tina had heard from Silas what had happened at the end of the battle with Erogate. Was his love so powerful that when he let go of her it was slowly deteriorating his mind? Could love do that? Tina wasn't sure, but she assumed that he had passed out from exerting himself not so long ago. He had spent almost all of his time in his room since the battle.

"I might as well get you on your bed and clean up this mess." She mumbled to herself, but when she touched him his blood-red eyes opened and his face contorted in a snarl. _You are nothing, girl! _A scary voice hissed throughout her mind. She hastily let go and stepped back. The eyes closed knowing it was no longer in danger while in such a fragile form.

"What was that just now?" Tina asked the air. She didn't know. All she knew for certain was that the voice didn't belong to Chris. Sabrina needed to know about this. Tina looked once more at her brother, worried for his safety, but left his room and then his apartments to visit the woman who was once her mother.

—Fin—

A/N: Review!

Signed,  
Her Sappiness


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